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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8032 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8032
To authorize the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 16, 2024
Mr. Sorensen (for himself, Mrs. Chavez-DeRemer, Ms. Schrier, and Mrs.
Gonzalez-Colon) introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to
the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Low-Income Household Water
Assistance Program Establishment Act''.
SEC. 2. LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLD WATER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
(2) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means a
State, or Indian tribe, that is eligible to receive or
previously received a grant under the Low-Income Home Energy
Assistance Act of 1981 (42 U.S.C. 8621 et seq.).
(3) Household.--The term ``household'' means any individual
or group of individuals who are living together as 1 economic
unit.
(4) Low-income household.--The term ``low-income
household'' means a household--
(A) in which 1 or more individuals are receiving--
(i) assistance under the State program
funded under part A of title IV of the Social
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.);
(ii) supplemental security income payments
under title XVI of the Social Security Act (42
U.S.C. 1381 et seq.);
(iii) supplemental nutrition assistance
program benefits under the Food and Nutrition
Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.);
(iv) payments under--
(I) section 1315, 1521, 1541, or
1542 of title 38, United States Code;
or
(II) section 306 of the Veterans'
and Survivors' Pension Improvement Act
of 1978 (38 U.S.C. 1521 note; Public
Law 95-588); or
(v) assistance under the Low-Income Home
Energy Assistance Act of 1981; or
(B) that has an income that, as determined by the
State or Indian tribe, does not exceed the greatest
of--
(i) an amount equal to 150 percent of the
poverty level;
(ii) an amount equal to 60 percent of the
State median income for that State or the State
in which the Indian tribe is primarily located;
and
(iii) an amount equal to 60 percent of the
area median income for the area in which the
household is located.
(5) Poverty level.--The term ``poverty level'' means the
poverty line determined pursuant to section 673 of the
Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9902).
(6) Public water system.--The term ``public water system''
has the meaning given the term in section 1401 of the Safe
Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300f).
(7) Qualified nonprofit organization.--The term ``qualified
nonprofit organization'' includes a nonprofit organization
described in section 680(a)(3)(B) of the Community Services
Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9921(a)(3)(B)).
(8) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Health and Human Services.
(9) State.--The term ``State'' means any of the 50 States,
the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico,
Guam, the United States Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
(10) Treatment works.--The term ``treatment works'' has the
meaning given the term in section 212 of the Federal Water
Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1292).
(b) Establishment.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary, in consultation with the
Administrator, shall establish the Low-Income Household Water
Assistance Program to award grants, in accordance with
paragraph (2), to eligible entities to provide funds to owners
and operators of public water systems or treatment works to
assist low-income households in paying arrearages and other
rates charged to such households for drinking water or
wastewater services.
(2) Formula.--In awarding grants under this subsection to
eligible entities, the Secretary shall--
(A) allot amounts made available for grants under
this subsection to an eligible entity that is a State
or Indian tribe based on--
(i) the percentage of households in the
State, or under the jurisdiction of the Indian
tribe, with income equal to or less than 150
percent of the poverty level; or
(ii) the percentage of households in the
State, or under the jurisdiction of the Indian
tribe, that spend more than 30 percent of
monthly income on housing; and
(B) reserve up to 3 percent of amounts made
available for grants under this subsection to eligible
entities that are Indian tribes.
(c) Rural, Underserved, and Indian Tribe Access Grants.--The
Secretary shall provide grants to qualified nonprofit organizations to
assist owners or operators of public water systems or treatment works,
in rural or underserved areas or in the jurisdiction of an Indian
tribe, in accessing funds through the Low-Income Household Water
Assistance Program.
(d) Applications.--Each eligible entity seeking a grant under
subsection (b), and each qualified nonprofit organization seeking a
grant under subsection (c), shall submit an application to the
Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information
as the Secretary shall require.
(e) Limitations.--A recipient of a grant under subsection (b) or
(c)--
(1) shall not use the funds from the grant to supplant any
other funds for any program that assists low-income households
in maintaining access to affordable drinking water or
wastewater services; and
(2) may use the funds from the grant to supplement or
otherwise enhance any such program that satisfies the
requirements under this section.
(f) Technical Assistance for Eligibility Requirements.--The
Secretary shall provide technical assistance to eligible entities
receiving a grant under subsection (b) for such eligible entities to
establish data sharing agreements to streamline categorical eligibility
requirements for low-income households.
(g) Transfer to the Environmental Protection Agency.--
(1) In general.--On the date on which the final report
described in section 50109(d) of the Infrastructure Investment
and Jobs Act (42 U.S.C. 300j-19a note; Public Law 117-58; 135
Stat. 1148) is submitted to Congress under such section, the
Secretary, in coordination with the Administrator, shall
transfer the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program
established under this section to the Environmental Protection
Agency for administration of such program by the Administrator
in accordance with this section.
(2) Administration.--
(A) In general.--Beginning on the date described in
paragraph (1)--
(i) the Administrator shall carry out all
functions of the Secretary under this section;
and
(ii) for purposes of administering the
program established under this section, each
reference in subsection (b)(2), (c), (d), and
(f) to the Secretary shall be deemed a
reference to the Administrator.
(B) Grants previously awarded.--Notwithstanding
paragraph (1) and subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall
continue, after the transfer under paragraph (1),
administering each grant awarded under this section
prior to such transfer until the expiration of the term
of such grant.
(3) Unobligated balances.--On the date described in
paragraph (1) and subject to section 1531 of title 31, United
States Code, the Secretary shall transfer all unobligated
balances of appropriations, authorizations, allocations, or
other funds available to the Low-Income Household Water
Assistance Program established under this section (except for
any such balances related to grants awarded prior to the
transfer under paragraph (1)) to the Administrator. The amounts
of any such unobligated balances so transferred shall be used
only for the purposes for which the amounts were originally
authorized and appropriated.
(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $1,100,000,000.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials.
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