H.R. 2960 – To amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to…

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16 earlier actions

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Received in the Senate.

October 5, 2004

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

July 25, 2003

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Resources.

Natural Resources Committee

July 25, 2003

HouseCommittee

Executive Comment Requested from Interior.

Natural Resources Committee

July 27, 2003

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Water and Power.

Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee

July 27, 2003

HouseCommittee

Subcommittee Hearings Held.

Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee

September 10, 2003

HouseCommittee

Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee

October 30, 2003

HouseCommittee

Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Unanimous Consent.

Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee

October 30, 2003

HouseCommittee

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

Natural Resources Committee

July 14, 2004

HouseCommittee

Ordered to be Reported by Unanimous Consent.

Natural Resources Committee

July 14, 2004

HouseCommittee

Reported by the Committee on Resources. H. Rept. 108-664.

Natural Resources Committee

September 8, 2004

HouseCalendars

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 404.

September 8, 2004

HouseFloor

Mr. Gibbons moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

October 4, 2004 • 2:45 PM

HouseFloor

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H7965)

October 4, 2004 • 2:46 PM

HouseFloor

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2960.

October 4, 2004 • 2:46 PM

HouseFloor

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H7965)

October 4, 2004 • 2:48 PM

HouseFloor

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

October 4, 2004 • 2:48 PM

SenateIntro Referral

Received in the Senate.

October 5, 2004

Floor Debate

2 members

What members said about H.R. 2960 on the floor

1 Republican1 Democrat

Rep. Donna M. ChristensenD-VI · Oct 4, 2004

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Mrs. CHRISTENSEN asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.) Mr. Speaker, I want to begin by commending my friend and…

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

(Mrs. CHRISTENSEN asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I want to begin by commending my friend and colleague on the Committee on Resources, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Ortiz), for introducing this bill and for working hard to secure its passage.

The community leaders in the Brownsville, Texas, area also deserve recognition for the decision to use water desalinization and water recycling as tools to stabilize their water supplies and reduce the impact of drought. We strongly support this legislation.

Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2960, a bill I introduced that will amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the Brownsville Public Utility Board water recycling and desalinization project.

I would like to thank Chairman Pombo, Ranking Member Rahall, as well as Water and Power Subcommittee Chairman Calvert and Ranking Member Napolitano, for their valuable support on this legislation.

This bill was considered in the House Resources Committee and was passed with no dissent. It will essentially allow the Brownsville PUB to participate in water recycling and desalinization project funding authorized by the Secretary of the Interior.

This bill, H.R. 2960, makes the Brownsville Public Utilities Board (PUB) eligible for a Federal share of Title 16 funding for design, planning, and construction of facilities to reclaim, reuse, and treat impaired waters in the Brownsville area.

PUB's water supply plan has several components including: reclaiming brackish groundwater (not obligated under the Mexican water treaty) through desalinization, and building a pipeline to transport treated sewage for irrigation. This is an important bill for Brownsville and the PUB because it will make them eligible for grants to do the essential work of reclaiming waters that are currently unusable in the South Texas area.

Given our current water situation, and the ongoing water debt with Mexico, Brownsville and the Rio Grande Valley must use all our creativity to find new sources of water for the next century to attend to all the needs of future water users. South Texas has seen an amazing amount of growth, a dynamic we expect to continue for decades to come. The more varied, and more creative, we are in finding new water sources, the more successful we will be in attracting new industry to sustain the growth of our Valley economy.

I ask my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Rep. Jim GibbonsR-NV-2 · Oct 4, 2004

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2960) to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to…

Bill Text

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Received in SenateIssued October 5, 2004

        [Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2960 Received in Senate (RDS)]

2d Session
H. R. 2960

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

October 5, 2004

Received

_______________________________________________________________________

AN ACT

To amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and
Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to
participate in the Brownsville Public Utility Board water recycling and
desalinization project.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. BROWNSVILLE PUBLIC UTILITY BOARD WATER RECYCLING AND
DESALINIZATION PROJECT.

(a) In General.--The Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study
and Facilities Act (Public Law 102-575, title XVI; 43 U.S.C. 390h et
seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

``SEC. 163__. BROWNSVILLE PUBLIC UTILITY BOARD WATER RECYCLING AND
DESALINIZATION PROJECT.

``(a) In General.--The Secretary, in cooperation with the
Brownsville Public Utility Board, may participate in the design,
planning, and construction of facilities to reclaim, reuse, and treat
impaired waters in the Brownsville, Texas, area.
``(b) Cost Sharing.--The Federal share of the cost of the project
described in subsection (a) shall not exceed 25 percent of the total
cost of the project.
``(c) Limitation.--Funds provided by the Secretary shall not be
used for operation and maintenance of the project described in
subsection (a).''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of sections in section 2 of
Public Law 102-575 is amended by inserting after the last item relating
title XVI the following:

``Sec. 163_. Brownsville Public Utility Board water recycling and
desalinization project.''.

Passed the House of Representatives October 4, 2004.

Attest:

JEFF TRANDAHL,

Clerk.

To amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the Brownsville Public Utility Board water recycling and desalinization project.

Legislative Activity

Floor Debate

Bill Text