Authorize USDA to revitalize watersheds and better protect communities from flood risk.

Mark B. Messmer · Indiana · Republican

policy impact 0.72 specificity 0.83 extraction confidence 89%

Commitment kind: unknown. Promised action: not established. Promised outcome: not established. Deadline: unknown; not assumed expired.

Contest this claim

Occurrences

By clearly authorizing USDA to revitalize watersheds, the Restoring America’s Floodplains Act not only protects communities from flood risk but restores habitat, enhances outdoor recreation, and encourages compatible economic use.

Messmer supported a bill that would let USDA revitalize watersheds to reduce flood risk and support related land uses.

Messmer Introduces the Restoring America’s Floodplains Act | U.S. Representative Mark Messmer
primary · press_release · model gpt-5.4-mini

Selected Memorials Consensus Calendar Motions ... Roll Call 154 | Bill Number: H. R. 7567 ... Vote Question: On Passage Farm, Food, and National Security Act

This is legislative action reporting, not an explicit future commitment by the candidate.

Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives
primary · other · model gpt-5.4-mini

H.R. 7264 (Messmer, R-IN) - Restoring America’s Floodplains Act (119th)

Messmer is listed as the GOP lead on a bill to restore America's floodplains, which reflects a commitment to floodplain restoration and flood-risk reduction.

ffns26_markerbill_tally-by-title_final.pdf
secondary · other · model gpt-5.4-mini

Evidence

unverified · Source version 18062 · locator unknown

The House Agriculture Committee report for H.R. 7567 includes SEC. 2405, which amends the Emergency Watershed Program to authorize the Secretary to restore vegetative cover, hydrological functions, and other values of floodplain easements, maintain and enhance restoration measures, contract with landowners, States, NGOs, and Indian Tribes, and allow compatible economic uses such as hunting, fishing, timber harvest, water management, haying, or grazing.

Unverified model/legacy excerpt; not proof. AI summary (separate from source): Committee-reported bill text shows Messmer's floodplain/watershed concept was incorporated into the House farm bill markup, but this is still only committee-reported language, not enactment.

partial same_term A for effort

CRPT-119hrpt620-pt1.pdf
secondary · model gpt-5.4-mini · confidence 95%

Contest this evidence item

unverified · Source version 18063 · locator unknown

The introduced House bill text for H.R. 7567 contains SEC. 2405 on the Emergency Watershed Program, including floodplain easements, easement restoration, maintenance, compatible uses, and broader restoration authority when the Secretary finds it supports the long-term health of the watershed.

Unverified model/legacy excerpt; not proof. AI summary (separate from source): The underlying legislative vehicle already included the USDA watershed/flood-risk authorization, confirming the policy was formally introduced, but not yet enacted.

partial same_term A for effort

H.R. 7567 (IH) Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026
secondary · model gpt-5.4-mini · confidence 92%

Contest this evidence item

unverified · Source version 18064 · locator unknown

House roll call records show H.R. 7567 was still being considered on April 30, 2026 and that the House had multiple recorded votes on amendments to the bill that day. This shows active House floor action on the broader farm bill carrying the watershed provision, but not final enactment into law.

Unverified model/legacy excerpt; not proof. AI summary (separate from source): The House moved the broader vehicle forward in the same-term lookback window, but the promise remains unresolved because House action alone does not authorize USDA by itself.

unresolved same_term A for effort

Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives
secondary · model gpt-5.4-mini · confidence 87%

Contest this evidence item

unverified · Source version 14024 · locator unknown

Messmer said the House passage of the 2026 Farm Bill included 'flood mitigation, outdoor recreation enhancement, and land rehabilitation through the Restoring America’s Floodplains Act.'

Unverified model/legacy excerpt; not proof. AI summary (separate from source): This is a contemporaneous claim of progress by the member, but it is not independent proof of enactment; it does indicate he actively advanced the promise through the House process.

partial same_term A for effort

Messmer Celebrates Passage of the 2026 Farm Bill in the House of Representatives | U.S. Representative Mark Messmer
primary · model gpt-5.4-mini · confidence 78%

Contest this evidence item

unverified · Source version 54792 · locator unknown

Date: Wednesday, September 16, 2026 Time: 03:30pm Location: 318 Russell Senate Office Building Check back for live video of this hearing. ## Legislation S. ___, Agricultural Act of 2026

Unverified model/legacy excerpt; not proof. AI summary (separate from source): In the lookback window, the Senate Agriculture Committee listed only a business meeting on the Senate farm-bill vehicle, showing ongoing consideration rather than enacted USDA authority.

unresolved same_term A for effort

Business Meeting | Senate Committee On Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 90%

Contest this evidence item

unverified · Source version 54794 · locator unknown

``(1) Easement restoration.--The Secretary is authorized to restore appropriate vegetative cover, hydrological functions, and other functions and values of the land subject to a floodplain easement acquired under subsection (a).

Unverified model/legacy excerpt; not proof. AI summary (separate from source): The House-engrossed bill text includes the promised USDA watershed/floodplain authority, confirming a substantive legislative advance, but it is not proof of enactment.

partial same_term A for effort

H.R. 7567 (EH) - Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 94%

Contest this evidence item

Assessments

Public state: unverified As of unknown · legacy_unverified · . Original AI recommendation (not independently established): partial. same_term A for effort

The evidence shows Messmer materially advanced the promise during his federal House term: the watershed/floodplain authorization was introduced in H.R. 7567, reported by committee, and moved through House floor action as part of the 2026 Farm Bill. However, the record provided does not show final enactment into law or completed USDA authorization. House passage or committee inclusion alone is not enough to count the promised USDA authority as delivered. Because there was a serious legislative attempt but no proven enacted outcome, this merits partial credit with same-term timing and an effort badge.

provider codex_cli · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 88%