Bill Summary
The "Emergency Rural Water Response Act of 2026" aims to amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to enhance support for communities facing water emergencies. The key changes include:
1. **Expanded Eligibility**: The Act broadens the criteria for grants under the Emergency and Imminent Community Water Assistance Grant Program, allowing funds to be used for a wider range of water resource infrastructure projects. This includes facilities for potable water, wastewater management, storm drainage, and solid waste.
2. **Increased Funding Cap**: The legislation raises the maximum population threshold for eligibility from 10,000 to 35,000 residents, enabling larger rural communities to access emergency water assistance grants.
Overall, the Act seeks to improve access to essential water services and infrastructure in rural areas, particularly during emergencies.
Possible Impacts
Here are three examples of how the "Emergency Rural Water Response Act of 2026" could affect people:
1. **Increased Access to Emergency Water Assistance**: By expanding eligibility for grants related to emergency water assistance, the legislation allows more rural communities to receive financial support. This could benefit residents in areas that previously lacked access to clean drinking water or adequate wastewater facilities, ultimately improving public health and quality of life.
2. **Enhanced Water Infrastructure Development**: The inclusion of funding for associated uses related to water resources infrastructure (such as potable water facilities, wastewater systems, and storm drainage) may lead to the construction and improvement of essential water infrastructure. This can create jobs in construction and maintenance, stimulate local economies, and ensure that communities are better prepared for water-related emergencies.
3. **Support for Larger Populations**: The amendment to raise the maximum population eligibility for grants from 10,000 to 35,000 people means that more towns and communities, especially those that are mid-sized or growing, can qualify for assistance. This could help these communities address their specific water-related challenges, such as aging infrastructure or increased demand due to population growth, thus fostering community resilience and sustainability.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3620 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3620
To amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to expand
eligibility for grants related to emergency water assistance, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 13, 2026
Mr. Schiff (for himself and Mr. Husted) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture,
Nutrition, and Forestry
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to expand
eligibility for grants related to emergency water assistance, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Emergency Rural Water Response Act
of 2026''.
SEC. 2. EMERGENCY AND IMMINENT COMMUNITY WATER ASSISTANCE GRANT
PROGRAM.
Section 306A of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7
U.S.C. 1926a) is amended--
(1) in subsection (d)(1)--
(A) by redesignating subparagraphs (C) and (D) as
subparagraphs (D) and (E), respectively; and
(B) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the
following:
``(C) for associated uses related to water
resources infrastructure, including facilities for
potable water, wastewater, storm drainage, or solid
waste;''; and
(2) in subsection (e)(1)(A), by striking ``10,000'' and
inserting ``35,000''.
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