Clean Water Current

(July 24, 2019) Congress is set to vote in the coming days on a sweeping two-year budget deal that will raise the federal debt limit until mid-2021 and increase current spending caps put in place by the 2011 Budget Control Act by $320 billion over the next two years.

Once passed into law, the deal sets the subsequent stage for Congress to advance an omnibus appropriations package before the start of Fiscal Year 2020 (FY20), beginning October 1, under the new, increased spending levels.

NACWA has been working with appropriators for the past several months to ensure inclusion of several key clean water priorities in the Interior and Environment bill, which funds U.S. EPA and core clean water infrastructure programs like the State Revolving Funds (SRFs) and the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA).  The new spending levels set under the budget deal provides good momentum for NACWA and the water sector to further build upon the appropriations gains made over the past two fiscal years.

With Congress set to leave Washington after the vote on the budget deal for the August state and district work period, NACWA will continue working with Congressional staff over the next several weeks to ensure the public clean water sector benefits from these increased funding levels.  In the meantime, NACWA encourages all of its members to engage with their respective Members of Congress on the importance of robust federal clean water funding and invite them to a facility tour to see first-hand how that funding positively impacts their constituents.  Please contact Jason Isakovic, NACWA’s Legislative Director, with any questions.