[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 81 (Tuesday, June 2, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H6019-H6020]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               CENTRAL TEXAS WATER RECYCLING ACT OF 2009

  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass 
the bill (H.R. 1120) 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.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1120

       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 2009''.

     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 gentlewoman from 
the Virgin Islands (Mrs. Christensen) and the gentleman from Colorado 
(Mr. Lamborn) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands.


                             General Leave

  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks 
and to include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1120 authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to 
participate

[[Page H6020]]

in the Central Texas Water Recycling and Reuse Project. The project 
will treat and recycle wastewater generated by the city of Waco and six 
neighboring communities. Similar legislation was passed by the House 
under suspension of the rules in the 109th and 110th Congresses.
  I urge my colleagues to support the passage of H.R. 1120, and I 
commend the bill's sponsor, Mr. Edwards of Texas, for his persistence 
and hard work to secure authorization for this very important project.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  The Democratic bill manager has adequately explained this bill, which 
authorizes limited Federal participation in a water reuse project in 
McLennan County, Texas. We have no objection to this well-intended 
bill.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I would now like to yield such time as 
he might consume to the sponsor of this act, to our colleague, Mr. 
Edwards of Texas.
  Mr. EDWARDS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I first want to thank the 
gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands for her courtesy and for her kind 
comments and support for this legislation and for her leadership on the 
committee.
  Mr. Speaker, our communities and Nation have a responsibility to be 
good stewards of our water resources. That is why I introduced H.R. 
1120, the Central Texas Water Recycling Act of 2009.
  This bill will authorize approximately $8 million in Federal funds to 
help build an innovative water recycling program in partnership with my 
hometown of Waco, Texas, and with several neighboring communities. It 
supports efforts to manage water resources efficiently in McLennan 
County by strategically locating regional satellite water treatment 
plants that will not only provide for the conservation of our 
community's water supply but will also reduce costs to the taxpayers.
  This project can provide up to 10 million gallons per day of reused 
water, thereby reducing the water demand on Lake Waco. Instead of 
wasting valuable drinking water for use in factories and on golf 
courses in July and August in Texas, which doesn't make much sense, we 
will be able to use lower-cost recycled wastewater for those purposes, 
and will be able to save enough drinking water for over 20,000 
households.
  The bottom line is this: By being good stewards of our water supply, 
we will reduce water costs for businesses and for working families. It 
will save taxpayers millions of dollars, and it will encourage economic 
growth and jobs.
  I want to thank Chairman Rahall and Ranking Member Hastings for their 
support of this measure, and I want to thank the subcommittee 
chairwoman, Mrs. Napolitano, and the ranking subcommittee member, Mrs. 
McMorris Rodgers, for their key roles in this bill's passage.
  This legislation, Mr. Speaker, is a kind of effort that shows what 
Congress can do when we work together on a bipartisan basis.
  I also want to thank the mayors, city council and staff from the 
cities of Waco, Lorena, Robinson, Hewitt, Woodway, Bellmead, and Lacy-
Lakeview for their cooperative efforts that brought us here today.
  Finally, I want to extend special credit to Waco's city manager, 
Larry Groth, for his extraordinary leadership on this bill. Without his 
leadership and that of his staff's, without their hard work and 
professionalism, we would not be here today. As a citizen of Waco, I am 
grateful for his and his staff's outstanding service to my hometown.
  I urge a ``yes'' vote on H.R. 1120.
  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I will just reaffirm the support that this 
bill has from our side of the aisle, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Mrs. Christensen) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1120.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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