[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3732 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3732
To amend the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act to
authorize assistance under the storage program, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 29, 2026
Mr. Gallego (for himself, Mr. Kelly, and Mr. Padilla) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Energy and Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act to
authorize assistance under the storage 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 ``Water Security and Drought
Resilience Act''.
SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE FOR STORAGE PROGRAM.
Section 4007 of the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the
Nation Act (43 U.S.C. 390b note; Public Law 114-322) is amended by
striking subsection (d) and inserting the following:
``(d) Authority To Provide Assistance.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary of the Interior may
provide financial assistance under this subtitle to carry out
projects within any Reclamation State.
``(2) Additional project.--Notwithstanding subsection (i)
or section 4013, any project for which a feasibility study is
authorized under subsection (a)(1)(B)(i) of section 40902 of
the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (43 U.S.C. 3202)
shall, pursuant to the construction funding requirements under
subsection (a)(2) of that section, as applicable, be eligible
for funding under this section.
``(3) Distribution among multiple reclamation states.--In
providing financial assistance under this subtitle, the
Secretary of the Interior shall ensure that the financial
assistance is distributed among projects across multiple
Reclamation States.''.
SEC. 3. REAUTHORIZATION OF SMALL STORAGE PROGRAM.
(a) Eligibility and Selection.--Section 40903(b) of the
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (43 U.S.C. 3203(b)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking subparagraph (B) and
inserting the following:
``(B) Eligible projects.--A project shall be
considered eligible for consideration for a grant under
this section if the project--
``(i)(I) has water storage capacity of not
less than 200 acre-feet and not more than
30,000 acre-feet; and
``(II)(aa) increases surface water or
groundwater storage; or
``(bb) conveys water, directly or
indirectly, to or from surface water or
groundwater storage; or
``(ii)(I) has water storage capacity for
recharges of not less than 200 acre-feet and
not more than 150,000 acre-feet on an average
annual basis over the life of the project for
storage or use; and
``(II)(aa) increases groundwater aquifer
storage;
``(bb) conveys water, directly or
indirectly, to, or recovers water from,
groundwater storage;
``(cc) both increases groundwater aquifer
storage and conveys water, directly or
indirectly, to or recovers water from
groundwater storage; and
``(dd) stabilizes groundwater levels.'';
and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(6) Distribution among multiple reclamation states.--In
awarding grants to projects under this section, the Secretary
shall ensure that grants are distributed across multiple
Reclamation States.''.
(b) Termination of Authority.--Section 40903 of the Infrastructure
Investment and Jobs Act (43 U.S.C. 3203) is amended--
(1) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (g); and
(2) in subsection (g) (as so redesignated), by striking
``5'' and inserting ``10''.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations; Effect.--Section 40903 of the
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (43 U.S.C. 3203) is amended by
inserting after subsection (d) the following:
``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $20,000,000 for
each of fiscal years 2027 through 2033.
``(f) Effect.--Nothing in this section--
``(1) supersedes or in any manner affects or conflicts with
State water law, Federal water law, interstate compacts, or
treaty obligations;
``(2) authorizes any acquisition of water by the Federal
Government; or
``(3) supersedes or infringes on any water rights.''.
SEC. 4. NATURAL WATER RETENTION AND RELEASE PROJECT GRANTS.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
(A) a State, Indian Tribe, municipality, irrigation
district, water district, wastewater district, or other
organization with water or power delivery authority;
(B) a State, regional, or local authority, the
members of which include 1 or more organizations with
water or power delivery authority; or
(C) a qualified partner.
(2) Natural water retention and release project.--The term
``natural water retention and release project'' means a project
that is designed and developed to increase water availability
for optimal management through aquifer recharge, floodplain
retention, the alteration of the timing of runoff to allow
increased utilization of existing storage facilities, or
another mechanism that--
(A) uses primarily natural materials appropriate to
the specific site and landscape setting;
(B) substantially mimics natural riverine, wetland,
ecosystem, or hydrologic processes; and
(C) may include multiple distributed natural water
retention and release projects across a watershed.
(3) Qualified partner.--The term ``qualified partner''
means a nonprofit organization operating in a Reclamation State
that is acting with the written support of an eligible entity
described in subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph (1).
(4) Reclamation state.--The term ``Reclamation State'' has
the meaning given the term in section 4014 of the Water
Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (43 U.S.C. 390b
note; Public Law 114-322).
(5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior, acting through the Commissioner of
Reclamation.
(b) Authorization for Grants.--The Secretary may award to an
eligible entity a grant for a natural water retention and release
project under this section, if--
(1) in the case of a natural water retention and release
project that costs not more than $20,000,000, the eligible
entity demonstrates that the natural water retention and
release project would help optimize the storage or delivery of
water in a watershed in which a Bureau of Reclamation facility
is located; and
(2) in the case of a natural water retention and release
project that costs more than $20,000,000--
(A) the requirements described in paragraph (1)
have been met with respect to the natural water
retention and release project; and
(B) the eligible entity determines, and the
Secretary concurs, that--
(i) the natural water retention and release
project would produce or allow additional
retention or delivery of water in a watershed
in which a Bureau of Reclamation facility is
located; and
(ii) there is a credible estimate of the
quantity of the storage benefit of the natural
water retention and release project during each
of a wet year, a normal year, and a dry year.
(c) Distribution Among Multiple Reclamation States.--In providing
grants for natural water retention and release projects under this
section, the Secretary shall ensure that grants are distributed across
multiple Reclamation States.
(d) Federal Cost-Share.--The Federal share of the cost of a natural
water retention and release project provided a grant under this section
shall not exceed 90 percent of the total cost of the natural water
retention and release project.
(e) Reimbursability.--Any Federal funds provided by the Secretary
to an eligible entity under this section shall be considered
nonreimbursable to the United States.
(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $15,000,000 for
each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031.
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