[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 151 (Tuesday, October 11, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1815-E1816]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 INTRODUCTION OF THE WATER QUALITY PROTECTION AND JOB CREATION ACT OF 
                                  2011

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. TIMOTHY H. BISHOP

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 11, 2011

  Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, today we are introducing 
legislation to make long overdue investments in our nation's water 
infrastructure systems that will benefit both our communities and our 
economy.
  The American economy needs jobs, and this Congress has a 
responsibility to support programs that create jobs. This is precisely 
what spending on water infrastructure systems will do: plain and 
simple, it will create jobs. For every $1 billion we spend on 
wastewater infrastructure we can create as many as 33,000 jobs in 
communities across America while improving our public health and 
protecting our environment. It is a win-win proposition.
  The importance of investment in wastewater infrastructure is clear 
and the need is great. In EPA's 2008 Clean Water Needs Survey, states 
documented nearly $300 billion in wastewater treatment, pipe 
replacement and repair, and stormwater management projects that need to 
be fulfilled over the next 20 years.
  While Congress appropriated $2.1 billion for wastewater 
infrastructure projects in 2010, this year allocations to the Clean 
Water State Revolving Funds were reduced to $690 million. This is a far 
cry from the $15 billion a year we would need to spend to address the 
needs

[[Page E1816]]

identified by the States to modernize and repair our aging systems.
  The ``Water Quality Protection and Job Creation Act of 2011'' is 
intended to close that gap. For decades, the SRFs have been the 
traditional mechanism for Federal wastewater infrastructure assistance. 
The bill renews the Federal commitment to addressing our Nation's 
substantial needs for wastewater infrastructure by investing $13.8 
billion in the State Revolving Funds over the next five years.
  Recognizing that significant additional resources will be necessary, 
the bill also establishes two complimentary new initiatives for the 
long-term, sustainable financing of wastewater infrastructure. The 
first is a direct loan and loan guarantee program and the second, a 
Clean Water Infrastructure Trust Fund. These proposals, when 
implemented in concert, would leverage billions of additional dollars 
to meet local wastewater infrastructure needs, create jobs, and protect 
our public health and environmental quality.
  Mr. Speaker, I recognize that some may express concern with the 
overall cost of this legislation; however, when compared to the 
estimated $300 to $400 billion in documented wastewater infrastructure 
needs for our communities over the next 20 years, I would suggest that 
this authorization will help meet, but not entirely close, the water 
infrastructure gap. In addition, based on a preliminary estimate by the 
Congressional Budget Office, this legislation would have no negative 
impact on direct spending and revenues over the next ten years under 
pay-as-you-go rules.
  Meeting the critical water infrastructure investment needs of our 
local communities should not be a partisan issue. As my colleagues on 
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure often say, ``There 
is no such thing as Republican or Democratic infrastructure projects.'' 
These are investments that benefit our local constituents, the 
economies of our towns, cities, and States, and provide the added 
benefit of protecting public health and the overall condition of the 
environment. I am pleased that this legislation has garnered bipartisan 
support for introduction, and I plan to work with my colleagues on both 
sides of the aisle to see this Congress move on providing long-term, 
sustained investment in our nation's wastewater infrastructure.
  Again, this is a win-win proposal and as such, it has broad support 
from the Associated General Contractors of America, the National Assoc 
of Clean Water Agencies, Food and Water Watch, the Water Environment 
Federation, the National League of Cities, the Water Infrastructure 
Network, the American Society of Civil Engineers, the National 
Construction Alliance II, the American Public Works Association and 
many others.
  In short, Mr. Speaker, this bill is good for America, for American 
workers and for the environment, and thus I urge my colleagues to join 
me and my fellow cosponsors in supporting this very important 
legislation that will help our economy recover.

                          ____________________