U.S. Senate staff have told AMWA and other water sector stakeholders that the chamber could vote on the “Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2016” (S. 2848) by mid-September, possibly placing the legislation on track for enactment by the end of 2016.
According to Senate staff, U.S. Senate leaders are making plans to begin debate on S. 2848 as early as the week of September 12, which is the second week the chamber will be back in session following its summer recess. It is thought that a vote on the bill could occur by the following week – well ahead of the start of the Senate’s pre-election recess in early October.
At this point there is no word on what changes may be in store for S. 2848 as it heads to the floor, but some Republican senators have reportedly expressed concerns about the level of direct assistance to Flint, Michigan that is included in the bill. S. 2848 would deliver $100 million for water infrastructure repairs in Flint through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, and includes an additional $70 million in credit subsidies through the new Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program that could be leveraged into assistance for communities nationwide. Other sections of the bill would offer lead testing grants to schools, and help low-income homeowners access funding to repair lead-tainted pipes and plumbing fixtures.
Another version of WRDA (H.R. 5303) is awaiting action in the House of Representatives, though that legislation is much slimmer than the Senate bill and does not include any drinking water infrastructure or lead response programs or funding. House leaders have not announced firm plans on whether the chamber will vote on the bill in September, but several House members are currently circulating a letter that will urge the full House to vote on its WRDA proposal next month. Should both chambers approve their WRDA bills in September, it would give lawmakers a chance to negotiate and vote on a final bill during the post-election lame duck session of Congress scheduled to begin in November.