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To amend the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014 with respect to the total amount of Federal assistance for projects in States experiencing severe drought, regionally and nationally significant projects, and for other purposes.
Summary
The DROUGHT Act of 2026 amends the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014 to modify federal financing assistance for water infrastructure projects. The bill increases the maximum federal assistance to 90 percent of project cost for eligible projects and prioritizes financing for these projects. Eligible "covered projects" must be located in states or counties experiencing severe drought conditions, serve low-income areas, or be designated as regionally or nationally significant by federal agencies. Projects qualify based on criteria including increasing water supply capacity, enhancing water reuse, reducing regional water usage, lowering ratepayer costs, or providing substantial public health or environmental benefits.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
9 cosponsors
- Rep. Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44] (D-CA)
- Rep. Costa, Jim [D-CA-21] (D-CA)
- Rep. Garamendi, John [D-CA-8] (D-CA)
- Rep. Jacobs, Sara [D-CA-51] (D-CA)
- Rep. Kiggans, Jennifer A. [R-VA-2] (R-VA)
- Rep. Levin, Mike [D-CA-49] (D-CA)
- Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-19] (D-CA)
- Rep. Ruiz, Raul [D-CA-25] (D-CA)
- Rep. Vargas, Juan [D-CA-52] (D-CA)
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to Scott H. Peters’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
- RA CAPITAL MANAGEMENT $19,800
- BLACKSTONE $17,500
- GENERAL ATOMICS $15,400
- QUALCOMM $13,300
- RA CAPITAL $13,200
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Scott H. Peters → · Outside spending →
Actions (3)
- Mar 6, 2026 Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment. · house
- Mar 5, 2026 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. · house
- Mar 5, 2026 Introduced in House
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Full text
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 5, 2026
Mr. Peters (for himself, Ms. Barragan, Mr. Garamendi, Mr. Vargas, Ms. Jacobs, Mr. Costa, Mr. Ruiz, and Mr. Levin) 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 amend the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014 with respect to the total amount of Federal assistance for projects in States experiencing severe drought, regionally and nationally significant projects, 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 “Drought Relief Obtained Using Government Help Today Act of 2026” or the “DROUGHT Act of 2026”.
SEC. 2. FEDERAL ASSISTANCE FOR CERTAIN WATER INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.
Section 5029(b)(9) of the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014 (33 U.S.C. 3908(b)(9)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
“(D) Exceptions for certain projects.—
“(i) In general.—Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), the total amount of Federal assistance for a covered project for which assistance is provided under this subtitle shall not exceed 90 percent of the total project cost.
“(ii) Priority.—In carrying out this section, the Secretary or the Administrator, as applicable shall prioritize financing for covered projects.
“(iii) Definitions.—In this subparagraph, the term ‘covered project’ means a project described in paragraph (6) or (7) of section 5026—
“(I) that is located in— “(aa) a State that has been designated as D2 (severe drought) or greater according to the United States Drought Monitor for a minimum of 4 weeks during the 5-year period preceding the date on which assistance is provided for the project under this subtitle; or “(bb) a county for which a drought emergency has been declared by the applicable Governor at any time during such period;
“(II) that serves— “(aa) an area in which, on the date on which assistance is provided for the project under this subtitle, the average household income is at or below 200 percent of the poverty threshold established by the Bureau of the Census; or “(bb) an area that meets the affordability criteria established by a State pursuant to section 1452(d)(3) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j12(d)(3)) or section 603(i)(2) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1383(i)(2)); or
“(III) that the Secretary or the Administrator, as applicable, has designated to be a project of regional or national significance because the project demonstrably— “(aa) increases drinking water supply capacity or reliability; “(bb) enhances water reuse or recycling;
“(cc) reduces regional water usage;
“(dd) lowers costs to ratepayers; or “(ee) provides substantial public health or environmental benefits.”. <all>
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