[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 177 (Thursday, December 8, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Page S6928]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 5149. Ms. BALDWIN (for herself, Mr. Brown, and Mr. Casey) 
submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill S. 
612, to designate the Federal building and United States courthouse 
located at 1300 Victoria Street in Laredo, Texas, as the ``George P. 
Kazen Federal Building and United States Courthouse''; which was 
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       Strike section 2113 and insert the following:

     SEC. 2113. TAXPAYER-PRODUCED IRON AND STEEL IN PUBLIC WATER 
                   SYSTEMS.

       Section 1452(a) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 
     300j-12(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(4) Requirement for the use of american materials.--
       ``(A) Definition of iron and steel products.--In this 
     paragraph, the term `iron and steel products' means the 
     following products made, in part, of iron or steel:
       ``(i) Lined or unlined pipe and fittings.
       ``(ii) Manhole covers and other municipal castings.
       ``(iii) Hydrants.
       ``(iv) Tanks.
       ``(v) Flanges.
       ``(vi) Pipe clamps and restraints.
       ``(vii) Valves.
       ``(viii) Structural steel.
       ``(ix) Reinforced precast concrete.
       ``(x) Construction materials.
       ``(B) Requirement.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
     law, except as provided in subparagraph (C), none of the 
     funds made available by a State loan fund authorized under 
     this section shall be used for a project for the 
     construction, alteration, maintenance, or repair of a public 
     water system unless all the iron and steel products used in 
     the project are produced in the United States.
       ``(C) Exception.--Subparagraph (B) shall not apply in any 
     case or category of cases in which the Administrator finds 
     that--
       ``(i) applying subparagraph (B) would be inconsistent with 
     the public interest;
       ``(ii) iron and steel products are not produced in the 
     United States in sufficient and reasonably available 
     quantities and of a satisfactory quality; or
       ``(iii) inclusion of iron and steel products produced in 
     the United States will increase the cost of the overall 
     project by more than 25 percent.
       ``(D) Public notice; written justification.--
       ``(i) Public notice.--If the Administrator receives a 
     request for a waiver under this paragraph, the Administrator 
     shall--

       ``(I) make available to the public on an informal basis, 
     including on the public website of the Administrator--

       ``(aa) a copy of the request; and
       ``(bb) any information available to the Administrator 
     regarding the request; and

       ``(II) provide notice of, and opportunity for informal 
     public comment on, the request for a period of not less than 
     15 days before making a finding under subparagraph (C).

       ``(ii) Written justification.--If, after the period 
     provided under clause (i), the Administrator makes a finding 
     under subparagraph (C), the Administrator shall publish in 
     the Federal Register a detailed written justification as to 
     why subparagraph (B) is being waived.
       ``(E) Application.--This paragraph shall be applied in a 
     manner consistent with United States obligations under 
     international agreements.
       ``(F) Management and oversight.--The Administrator may use 
     not more than 0.25 percent of any funds made available to 
     carry out this title for management and oversight of the 
     requirements of this paragraph.''.
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