PERMITTING STATES TO TRANSFER CERTAIN FUNDS FROM CLEAN WATER REVOLVING FUND TO DRINKING WATER REVOLVING FUND; Congressional Record Vol. 165, No. 149
(House of Representatives - September 17, 2019)
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[Page H7744]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
PERMITTING STATES TO TRANSFER CERTAIN FUNDS FROM CLEAN WATER REVOLVING
FUND TO DRINKING WATER REVOLVING FUND
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the
Speaker's table the 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, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Houlahan). Is there objection to the
request of the gentleman from New Jersey?
There was no objection.
The text of the bill is 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).
The bill was ordered to be read a third time, was read the third
time, and passed, and a motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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