[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4134 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4134

 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 and projects in historically 
           disadvantaged communities, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 16, 2024

  Mr. Padilla introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
       referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 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 and projects in historically 
           disadvantaged communities, 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 2024'' or the ``DROUGHT Act of 2024''.

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) Projects in states experiencing 
                        severe drought.--Notwithstanding subparagraph 
                        (A), the Administrator may finance up to 90 
                        percent of the costs of a project described in 
                        paragraph (6) or (7) of section 5026 located 
                        in--
                                    ``(I) 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 any of the 3 years 
                                preceding the date on which assistance 
                                is provided for the project under this 
                                subtitle; or
                                    ``(II) a county for which a drought 
                                emergency has been declared by the 
                                applicable Governor at any time during 
                                the 3-year period preceding that date.
                            ``(ii) Projects in historically 
                        disadvantaged communities.--Notwithstanding 
                        subparagraph (A), the Administrator may finance 
                        up to 90 percent of the costs of a project 
                        described in paragraph (6) or (7) of section 
                        5026 that serves a community that--
                                    ``(I) is designated as 
                                disadvantaged, underserved, or 
                                financially distressed by--
                                            ``(aa) the Climate and 
                                        Economic Justice Screening Tool 
                                        of the Council on Environmental 
                                        Quality; or
                                            ``(bb) the Administrator 
                                        pursuant to a water 
                                        infrastructure program of the 
                                        Environmental Protection 
                                        Agency, including water 
                                        infrastructure grant programs, 
                                        clean water and drinking water 
                                        grant programs, and other grant 
                                        programs under the Safe 
                                        Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 
                                        300f et seq.) and the Federal 
                                        Water Protection Control Act 
                                        (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.); or
                                    ``(II) meets the affordability 
                                criteria established by a State 
                                pursuant to section 1452(d)(3) of the 
                                Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 
                                300j-12(d)(3)) or section 603(i)(2) of 
                                the Federal Water Pollution Control Act 
                                (33 U.S.C. 1383(i)(2)).
                            ``(iii) Priority.--In carrying out this 
                        subparagraph, the Administrator shall 
                        prioritize financing for projects that--
                                    ``(I) are located in a State that 
                                is experiencing severe drought, as 
                                described in subclause (I) of clause 
                                (i), or a county for which a drought 
                                emergency has been declared, as 
                                described in subclause (II) of that 
                                clause; and
                                    ``(II) serve a community that is 
                                designated as disadvantaged, 
                                underserved, or financially distressed, 
                                or meets affordability criteria 
                                established by a State, as described in 
                                clause (ii).''.
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