[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 143 (Monday, September 9, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S5367]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





   PERMITTING STATES TO TRANSFER CERTAIN FUNDS FROM THE CLEAN WATER 
 REVOLVING FUND OF A STATE TO THE DRINKING WATER REVOLVING FUND OF THE 
                     STATE IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES

  Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 125, S. 1689.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 1689) to permit States to transfer certain funds 
     from the clean water revolving fund of a State to the 
     drinking water revolving fund of the State in certain 
     circumstances, and for other purposes.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill, 
which had been reported from the Committee on Environment and Public 
Works.
  Mr. PORTMAN. I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read 
a third time.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading and was read 
the third time.
  Mr. PORTMAN. I know of no further debate on the bill.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there further debate?
  If not, the bill having been read the third time, the question is, 
Shall the bill pass?
  The bill (S. 1689) was passed, as follows:

                                S. 1689

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. TRANSFER AUTHORITY.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
       (1) lead is a toxic chemical that--
       (A) is particularly harmful to young children; and
       (B) can cause reduced intelligence quotients, attention 
     disorders, and other serious health problems;
       (2) excessive and harmful levels of lead have been found in 
     water systems across all 50 States and those water systems 
     serve drinking water to millions of people in the United 
     States;
       (3) hundreds of the water systems described in paragraph 
     (2) are water systems that provide drinking water to schools 
     or day care centers;
       (4) not all States have sufficient funds in the drinking 
     water revolving fund of that State to address the threat to 
     public health from heightened exposure to lead in drinking 
     water; and
       (5) some States have available funds in the clean water 
     revolving fund of that State that could be used to provide 
     additional resources to help address lead in drinking water.
       (b) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Clean water revolving fund.--The term ``clean water 
     revolving fund'' means a State water pollution control 
     revolving fund established under title VI of the Federal 
     Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1381 et seq.).
       (2) Drinking water revolving fund.--The term ``drinking 
     water revolving fund'' means a State drinking water treatment 
     revolving loan fund established under section 1452 of the 
     Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j-12).
       (c) Authority.--In addition to the transfer authority in 
     section 302(a) of the Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 
     1996 (42 U.S.C. 300j-12 note; Public Law 104-182), and 
     notwithstanding section 1452(d) of the Safe Drinking Water 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 300j-12(d)), during the 1-year period 
     beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, if a State, 
     in consultation with the Administrator of the Environmental 
     Protection Agency, determines that available funds in the 
     clean water revolving fund of the State are necessary to 
     address a threat to public health as a result of heightened 
     exposure to lead in drinking water, the State may transfer an 
     amount equal to not more than 5 percent of the cumulative 
     clean water revolving fund Federal grant dollars to the State 
     to the drinking water revolving fund of the State. Funds 
     transferred pursuant to this subsection shall be used by the 
     State to provide additional subsidy to eligible recipients in 
     the form of forgiveness of principal, negative interest 
     loans, or grants (or any combination of these).

  Mr. PORTMAN. I ask unanimous consent that the motion to reconsider be 
considered made and laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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