Sec. 199992. Low-income household drinking water and wastewater assistance
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/bill/116/hr/6379/ih/section-199992A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
There is authorized to be appropriated $1,500,000,000 to the Secretary to carry out this section. Such sums shall remain available until expended. The Secretary shall make grants to States and Indian Tribes to assist low-income households, particularly those with the lowest incomes, that pay a high proportion of household income for drinking water and wastewater services. In carrying out this section, the Secretary, States, and Indian Tribes, as applicable, shall use the existing processes, procedures, policies, and systems in place to carry out the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981, as the Secretary determines appropriate, including by using the application and approval process under such Act to the maximum extent practicable.
The Secretary shall allot amounts appropriated pursuant to this section to a State or Indian Tribe taking into account— the percentage of households in the State, or under the jurisdiction of the Indian Tribe, that are low-income, as determined by the Secretary; the average State or Tribal drinking water and wastewater service rates; and the extent to which the State or Indian Tribe has been impacted by the public health emergency. Not later than 15 days after determining an amount to allot to each State or Indian Tribe pursuant to paragraph (1), and prior to making grants under this section, the Secretary shall notify Congress of such allotment amounts.
In determining whether a household is considered low-income for the purposes of this section, a State or Indian Tribe shall— ensure that, at a minimum, all households within 150 percent of the Federal poverty line are included as low-income households; and consider households that have not previously received assistance under the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981 in the same manner as households that have previously received such assistance. States and Indian Tribes shall— to the maximum extent practicable, seek to limit the income history documentation requirements for determining whether a household is considered low-income for the purposes of this section; and for the purposes of income eligibility, accept proof of job loss or severe income loss dated after February 29, 2020, such as a layoff or furlough notice or verification of application of unemployment benefits, as sufficient to demonstrate lack of income for an individual or household.
Each State or Indian Tribe desiring to receive a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary, in such form as the Secretary shall require. To the maximum extent practicable, a State that receives a grant under this section shall enter into agreements with community water systems, private utilities, municipalities, nonprofit organizations associated with providing drinking water, wastewater, and other social services to rural and small communities, and Indian Tribes, to assist in identifying low-income households and to carry out this section.
A State or Indian Tribe that receives a grant under this section may use up to 15 percent of the granted amounts for administrative costs. In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall coordinate with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and consult with other Federal agencies with authority over the provision of drinking water and wastewater services. The Secretary shall require each State and Indian Tribe receiving a grant under this section to undertake periodic audits and evaluations of expenditures made by such State or Indian Tribe pursuant to this section.
The Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the results of activities carried out pursuant to this section— not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section; and upon disbursement of all funds appropriated pursuant to this section. In this section: The term community water system has the meaning given such term in section 1401 of the Safe Drinking Water Act ( 42 U.S.C. 300f ). The term Indian Tribe means any Indian Tribe, band, group, or community recognized by the Secretary of the Interior and exercising governmental authority over a Federal Indian reservation.
The term municipality has the meaning given such term in section 502 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act ( 33 U.S.C. 1362 ). The term public health emergency means the public health emergency described in section 1135(g)(1)(B) of the Social Security Act. The term Secretary means the Secretary of Health and Human Services. The term State means a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands of the United States, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
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