With officials along the Gulf Coast on alert for the potential for flooding and heavy rains, Houston-area congressmen voiced unanimous support Wednesday for greater investment in protections for the petrochemical facilities along the Houston Ship Channel and other spots susceptible to storm damage.

“Energy is a huge economic driver for business just for Texas, but the entire United States,” said Rep. Randy Weber, R-Friendswood. “The last thing we want is another major hurricane that hits our area and causes major economic damage and puts a 20-foot wall of water in the Houston Ship Channel. Can you imagine if we would lose some of the tanks … what an environmental catastrophe that would be.”

Though the idea of a storm surge protection system for Galveston Bay has been discussed for years, there is not a broad consensus for the best method to build it, and no state or federal funding has been accumulated to build what could be a $10 billion project.

At a Wednesday forum by Transportation Advocacy Group Houston Chapter, organized to have seven members of Congress talk about the intersection of transportation and energy policy, House members from both parties agreed investments in flood protection – for homes and businesses – cross party lines. All used the opportunity – with Tropical Depression Harvey forming in the Gulf of Mexico – to make their case for flood protection.

Rep, John Culberson, R-Houston, received support from Houston Democrats Reps. Gene Green and Al Green, when he proposed some loosening of the federal prohibition on earmarks.

Earmarks – commonly when a member of Congress would slip projects in their districts into spending bills – essentially were outlawed a decade ago. Culberson blamed the prohibition on abuse by members of Congress.

Avoiding the term "earmark," Culberson said his plan for “targeted appropriation” would allow for specific project-level funding in certain circumstances, but forbid it in others, such as recreational facilities.

“I think it would be a good way to start,” Culberson said.

Despite differences across party lines, Houston delegation members said they all work cooperatively when there is broad regional consensus for something. Al Green, noting his support for Culberson’s plan to revive some specific spending, said it also could help Congress find common areas where they can get some work done in an era that’s likely been marked more by inactivity than progress.

“It engenders collegiality,” Green said of Culberson’s plan for targeted spending. “It gives us an opportunity to work together to get things done.”

He speculated it also could be a needed break in the ice between the two major parties.

“One good infrastructure bill and we will all be singing Kumbaya together,” Green said.