H.R. 7530

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7530 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7530

To amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to provide 
additional assistance to rural water, wastewater, and waste disposal 
systems, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 12, 2026

Mr. Davis of North Carolina (for himself and Mr. Johnson of South 
Dakota) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to provide 
additional assistance to rural water, wastewater, and waste disposal 
systems, 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 ``Assistance for Rural Water Systems 
Act of 2026''.

SEC. 2. ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE FOR RURAL WATER SYSTEMS.

Subtitle A of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act is 
amended by inserting after section 306A (7 U.S.C. 1926a) the following:

``SEC. 306B. ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE FOR RURAL WATER SYSTEMS.

``(a) Definition of Eligible Entity.--In this section, the term 
`eligible entity' means a rural water, wastewater, or waste disposal 
facility with respect to which assistance may be provided under a 
water, wastewater, or waste disposal program under section 306(a), 
306A, 306C, or 306D.
``(b) Additional Assistance.--
``(1) Grants and loans.--The Secretary may provide a grant, 
a zero percent interest loan, or a 1 percent interest loan to 
an eligible entity.
``(2) Existing loans.--The Secretary may--
``(A) forgive principal or interest or modify any 
term or condition of an outstanding loan made to an 
eligible entity; or
``(B) refinance part or all of any other loan (if 
the purpose of the loan is an eligible purpose under 
section 306(a)(1) or 306C) made to an eligible entity.
``(3) Limitation.--The Secretary may not provide assistance 
under paragraph (2) with respect to a loan made under paragraph 
(1).
``(c) Eligible Purposes.--The Secretary may provide assistance to 
an eligible entity under subsection (b) as the Secretary determines is 
necessary--
``(1) to ensure that the eligible entity has the necessary 
resources to maintain public health, safety, or order; or
``(2) to address financial hardships of the eligible 
entity, if the eligible entity is located in a disadvantaged or 
economically distressed area, as determined under subsection 
(d).
``(d) Determination.--To determine whether an eligible entity may 
receive assistance pursuant to subsection (c)(2), the Secretary shall 
establish--
``(1) a residential indicator of affordable water services 
in each State or local or geographic area, calculated using the 
cost per household as a percentage of median household income; 
and
``(2) factors relating to disadvantaged or economically 
distressed areas.''.
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