H.R. 8032

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8032 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8032

To authorize the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program, and for 
other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 16, 2024

Mr. Sorensen (for himself, Mrs. Chavez-DeRemer, Ms. Schrier, and Mrs. 
Gonzalez-Colon) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to 
the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently 
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To authorize the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program, 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 ``Low-Income Household Water 
Assistance Program Establishment Act''.

SEC. 2. LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLD WATER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
(2) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means a 
State, or Indian tribe, that is eligible to receive or 
previously received a grant under the Low-Income Home Energy 
Assistance Act of 1981 (42 U.S.C. 8621 et seq.).
(3) Household.--The term ``household'' means any individual 
or group of individuals who are living together as 1 economic 
unit.
(4) Low-income household.--The term ``low-income 
household'' means a household--
(A) in which 1 or more individuals are receiving--
(i) assistance under the State program 
funded under part A of title IV of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.);
(ii) supplemental security income payments 
under title XVI of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1381 et seq.);
(iii) supplemental nutrition assistance 
program benefits under the Food and Nutrition 
Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.);
(iv) payments under--
(I) section 1315, 1521, 1541, or 
1542 of title 38, United States Code; 
or
(II) section 306 of the Veterans' 
and Survivors' Pension Improvement Act 
of 1978 (38 U.S.C. 1521 note; Public 
Law 95-588); or
(v) assistance under the Low-Income Home 
Energy Assistance Act of 1981; or
(B) that has an income that, as determined by the 
State or Indian tribe, does not exceed the greatest 
of--
(i) an amount equal to 150 percent of the 
poverty level;
(ii) an amount equal to 60 percent of the 
State median income for that State or the State 
in which the Indian tribe is primarily located; 
and
(iii) an amount equal to 60 percent of the 
area median income for the area in which the 
household is located.
(5) Poverty level.--The term ``poverty level'' means the 
poverty line determined pursuant to section 673 of the 
Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9902).
(6) Public water system.--The term ``public water system'' 
has the meaning given the term in section 1401 of the Safe 
Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300f).
(7) Qualified nonprofit organization.--The term ``qualified 
nonprofit organization'' includes a nonprofit organization 
described in section 680(a)(3)(B) of the Community Services 
Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9921(a)(3)(B)).
(8) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
of Health and Human Services.
(9) State.--The term ``State'' means any of the 50 States, 
the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, 
Guam, the United States Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the 
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
(10) Treatment works.--The term ``treatment works'' has the 
meaning given the term in section 212 of the Federal Water 
Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1292).
(b) Establishment.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary, in consultation with the 
Administrator, shall establish the Low-Income Household Water 
Assistance Program to award grants, in accordance with 
paragraph (2), to eligible entities to provide funds to owners 
and operators of public water systems or treatment works to 
assist low-income households in paying arrearages and other 
rates charged to such households for drinking water or 
wastewater services.
(2) Formula.--In awarding grants under this subsection to 
eligible entities, the Secretary shall--
(A) allot amounts made available for grants under 
this subsection to an eligible entity that is a State 
or Indian tribe based on--
(i) the percentage of households in the 
State, or under the jurisdiction of the Indian 
tribe, with income equal to or less than 150 
percent of the poverty level; or
(ii) the percentage of households in the 
State, or under the jurisdiction of the Indian 
tribe, that spend more than 30 percent of 
monthly income on housing; and
(B) reserve up to 3 percent of amounts made 
available for grants under this subsection to eligible 
entities that are Indian tribes.
(c) Rural, Underserved, and Indian Tribe Access Grants.--The 
Secretary shall provide grants to qualified nonprofit organizations to 
assist owners or operators of public water systems or treatment works, 
in rural or underserved areas or in the jurisdiction of an Indian 
tribe, in accessing funds through the Low-Income Household Water 
Assistance Program.
(d) Applications.--Each eligible entity seeking a grant under 
subsection (b), and each qualified nonprofit organization seeking a 
grant under subsection (c), shall submit an application to the 
Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information 
as the Secretary shall require.
(e) Limitations.--A recipient of a grant under subsection (b) or 
(c)--
(1) shall not use the funds from the grant to supplant any 
other funds for any program that assists low-income households 
in maintaining access to affordable drinking water or 
wastewater services; and
(2) may use the funds from the grant to supplement or 
otherwise enhance any such program that satisfies the 
requirements under this section.
(f) Technical Assistance for Eligibility Requirements.--The 
Secretary shall provide technical assistance to eligible entities 
receiving a grant under subsection (b) for such eligible entities to 
establish data sharing agreements to streamline categorical eligibility 
requirements for low-income households.
(g) Transfer to the Environmental Protection Agency.--
(1) In general.--On the date on which the final report 
described in section 50109(d) of the Infrastructure Investment 
and Jobs Act (42 U.S.C. 300j-19a note; Public Law 117-58; 135 
Stat. 1148) is submitted to Congress under such section, the 
Secretary, in coordination with the Administrator, shall 
transfer the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program 
established under this section to the Environmental Protection 
Agency for administration of such program by the Administrator 
in accordance with this section.
(2) Administration.--
(A) In general.--Beginning on the date described in 
paragraph (1)--
(i) the Administrator shall carry out all 
functions of the Secretary under this section; 
and
(ii) for purposes of administering the 
program established under this section, each 
reference in subsection (b)(2), (c), (d), and 
(f) to the Secretary shall be deemed a 
reference to the Administrator.
(B) Grants previously awarded.--Notwithstanding 
paragraph (1) and subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall 
continue, after the transfer under paragraph (1), 
administering each grant awarded under this section 
prior to such transfer until the expiration of the term 
of such grant.
(3) Unobligated balances.--On the date described in 
paragraph (1) and subject to section 1531 of title 31, United 
States Code, the Secretary shall transfer all unobligated 
balances of appropriations, authorizations, allocations, or 
other funds available to the Low-Income Household Water 
Assistance Program established under this section (except for 
any such balances related to grants awarded prior to the 
transfer under paragraph (1)) to the Administrator. The amounts 
of any such unobligated balances so transferred shall be used 
only for the purposes for which the amounts were originally 
authorized and appropriated.
(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $1,100,000,000.
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