[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 50 (Tuesday, May 2, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H1939-H1940]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CENTRAL TEXAS WATER RECYCLING ACT OF 2006
Mr. PEARCE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 3418) to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater
Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to
participate in the Central Texas Water Recycling and Reuse Project, and
for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 3418
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 ``Central Texas Water
Recycling Act of 2006''.
SEC. 2. PROJECT AUTHORIZATION.
(a) In General.--The Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater
Study and Facilities Act (Public Law 102-575; 43 U.S.C. 390h
et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 16__ the
following new section:
``SEC. 16__. CENTRAL TEXAS WATER RECYCLING AND REUSE PROJECT.
``(a) Authorization.--The Secretary, in cooperation with
the City of Waco and other participating communities in the
Central Texas Water Recycling and Reuse Project is authorized
to participate in the design, planning, and construction of
permanent facilities to reclaim and reuse water in McLennan
County, Texas.
``(b) Cost Share.--The Federal share of the costs of the
project described in subsection (a) shall not exceed 25
percent of the total cost.
``(c) Limitation.--The Secretary shall not provide funds
for the operation and maintenance of the project described in
subsection (a).
``(d) Sunset of Authority.--The authority of the Secretary
to carry out any provisions of this section shall terminate
10 years after the date of enactment of this section.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections in section 2
of Public Law 102-575 is amended by inserting after the item
relating to section 16__ the following:
``Sec. 16__. Central Texas Water Recycling and Reuse Project.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
Mexico (Mr. Pearce) and the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Udall) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Mexico.
General Leave
Mr. PEARCE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include
extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New Mexico?
There was no objection.
Mr. PEARCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3418, introduced by Congressman Chet Edwards,
authorizes Federal participation in a water reuse project in McLennan
County, Texas. As central Texas cities experience rapid population
growth and increased water demand, these communities are being
proactive to better utilize their existing water supplies.
This legislation is part of the effort to create new water supplies.
I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan bill.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
(Mr. UDALL of New Mexico asked and was given permission to revise and
extend his remarks.)
Mr. Speaker, we support passage of H.R. 3418. We commend Congressman
Chet Edwards for his persistence and hard work to secure authorization
for this important project. The city of Waco is keenly aware that
additional sources of water will be required to meet future water
demands.
The city has decided to meet the expected water supply shortfall in
part by implementing aggressive water conservation and water recycling
and reclamation programs. The water recycling project identified in
this bill will be eligible for limited financial assistance under the
Bureau of Reclamation's title XVI water recycling program.
[[Page H1940]]
Water recycling and desalinization projects are proven technologies
that can help stretch limited water supplies in areas such as Texas and
the West.
I want to express our full support for this legislation. I offer my
congratulations to Congressman Edwards for his leadership.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. PEARCE. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the
hardworking Member from Texas (Mr. Edwards), who works tirelessly for
his district.
Mr. EDWARDS. Mr. Speaker, let me thank Mr. Udall for his kind
comments, and both Mr. Udall and Mr. Pearce for their excellent floor
management of all of these bills today.
Mr. Speaker, our communities and Nation have a responsibility to be
good stewards of our water resources. That is why I introduced H.R.
3418, the Central Texas Water Recycling Act of 2006. This bill will
authorize Federal matching funds, 25 percent Federal, 75 percent local,
to help build an innovative water recycling program partnership in my
home town of Waco, Texas, and several neighboring communities in
McClennan County.
Instead of wasting valuable drinking water for use in factories and
on golf courses, we will be able to use lower-cost recycled wastewater
for those purposes and save enough drinking water for 20,000 family
households in McClennan County. The bottom line is this: being good
stewards of our water supply, we will reduce water costs for
businesses, save central Texas taxpayers millions of dollars, encourage
economic growth in our area, and improve water quality in our central
Texas rivers.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Pombo and ranking member Rahall
for their support of this measure, and the subcommittee chairman, Mr.
Radanovich, the ranking subcommittee member, Mrs. Napolitano, for their
key role in this bill's passage. This is the kind of bipartisan effort
that shows what Congress can accomplish when we work together on a
bipartisan basis.
I also want to thank the mayor, city council, and staff in the cities
of Waco, Lorena, Robinson, Hewitt, Woodway, Bellmead and Lacy-Lakeview
for their cooperative efforts that made this bill's passage possible.
Finally, I want to extend special credit to the city of Waco, my
hometown, to its city manager, Larry Groth, for his extraordinary
leadership on this bill. Without his leadership, hard work and
professionalism, we would not be here today. And as a citizen of Waco,
I am grateful for his outstanding service to my hometown.
Mr. Speaker, I urge bipartisan passage of H.R. 3418.
Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, having no further speakers, I
yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. PEARCE. Mr. Speaker, I say thank you to my colleagues, Mr.
Edwards and Mr. Udall, for their work on this bill and yield back the
balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Pearce) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 3418, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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