H.R. 7845

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7845 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7845

To amend the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014 
with respect to the total amount of Federal assistance for projects in 
States experiencing severe drought, regionally and nationally 
significant projects, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

March 5, 2026

Mr. Peters (for himself, Ms. Barragan, Mr. Garamendi, Mr. Vargas, Ms. 
Jacobs, Mr. Costa, Mr. Ruiz, and Mr. Levin) 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 amend the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014 
with respect to the total amount of Federal assistance for projects in 
States experiencing severe drought, regionally and nationally 
significant projects, 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 ``Drought Relief Obtained Using 
Government Help Today Act of 2026'' or the ``DROUGHT Act of 2026''.

SEC. 2. FEDERAL ASSISTANCE FOR CERTAIN WATER INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.

Section 5029(b)(9) of the Water Infrastructure Finance and 
Innovation Act of 2014 (33 U.S.C. 3908(b)(9)) is amended by adding at 
the end the following:
``(D) Exceptions for certain projects.--
``(i) In general.--Notwithstanding 
subparagraph (A), the total amount of Federal 
assistance for a covered project for which 
assistance is provided under this subtitle 
shall not exceed 90 percent of the total 
project cost.
``(ii) Priority.--In carrying out this 
section, the Secretary or the Administrator, as 
applicable shall prioritize financing for 
covered projects.
``(iii) Definitions.--In this subparagraph, 
the term `covered project' means a project 
described in paragraph (6) or (7) of section 
5026--
``(I) that is located in--
``(aa) a State that has 
been designated as D2 (severe 
drought) or greater according 
to the United States Drought 
Monitor for a minimum of 4 
weeks during the 5-year period 
preceding the date on which 
assistance is provided for the 
project under this subtitle; or
``(bb) a county for which a 
drought emergency has been 
declared by the applicable 
Governor at any time during 
such period;
``(II) that serves--
``(aa) an area in which, on 
the date on which assistance is 
provided for the project under 
this subtitle, the average 
household income is at or below 
200 percent of the poverty 
threshold established by the 
Bureau of the Census; or
``(bb) an area that meets 
the affordability criteria 
established by a State pursuant 
to section 1452(d)(3) of the 
Safe Drinking Water Act (42 
U.S.C. 300j12(d)(3)) or section 
603(i)(2) of the Federal Water 
Pollution Control Act (33 
U.S.C. 1383(i)(2)); or
``(III) that the Secretary or the 
Administrator, as applicable, has 
designated to be a project of regional 
or national significance because the 
project demonstrably--
``(aa) increases drinking 
water supply capacity or 
reliability;
``(bb) enhances water reuse 
or recycling;
``(cc) reduces regional 
water usage;
``(dd) lowers costs to 
ratepayers; or
``(ee) provides substantial 
public health or environmental 
benefits.''.
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