[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 129 (Thursday, August 6, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Page S4521]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. PADILLA (for himself and Mr. Cornyn):
  S. 5352. A bill to amend the Water Infrastructure Improvements for 
the Nation Act and the Water Desalination Act of 1996 to reauthorize 
certain desalination programs, and for other purposes; to the Committee 
on Energy and Natural Resources.
       Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the 
     Desalination Reauthorization Act.
       This bill would reauthorize BOR's programmatic approval to 
     provide grants for desalination projects, which will 
     otherwise expire this year. It would also allow public-
     private partnerships to compete for this funding.
       The bill would also reauthorize the desalination and water 
     purification research program and amend it to authorize 
     advanced pilot projects. Advanced pilots can cover the gap in 
     developing new technologies known as the Valley of Death 
     between a successfully validated laboratory prototype and a 
     commercially viable, scalable product. During this phase, 
     public grants typically dry out, while private investors 
     demand proven market traction before committing capital.
       The Federal cost-share under the program is limited to 24 
     percent of the cost of any desalination project. The bill 
     would direct the Reclamation cannot administratively impose a 
     maximum funding amount that each desalination project can 
     receive, which would allow large desalination plants to 
     receive the full 25 percent cost-share. I believe it is 
     important that the bill support desalination projects of 
     varying sizes. Large projects can allow multiple water 
     districts in a region to participate and can lower the unit 
     cost of the water produced.
       The desalination projects supported by these Bureau of 
     Reclamation programs have supplemented local supplies, 
     provided flexibility during water shortages, and diversified 
     the water supply.
       Desalination offers a drought-proof water supply 
     alternative, and we need to keep funding both commercial 
     desalination projects and research to lower its costs and 
     reduce its environmental impacts.
       I would like to thank Senator Cornyn for coleading this 
     bill.

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