H.R. 4719 – To establish a Southwest Border Region Water Task Force.

111th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 4719

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

March 2, 2010

Mr. Rodriguez (for himself, Mr. Cuellar, Mr. Teague, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Hinojosa, and Mr. Reyes) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

A BILL

To establish a Southwest Border Region Water Task Force.

Southwest Border Region Water Task Force

(a)

Establishment

There shall be a task force to be known as the Southwest Border Region Water Task Force.

(b)

Composition

(1)

In general

The task force shall be composed of one representative of each of the following entities, to be appointed by the head of the entity—

(A)

the Southwest Border Regional Commission;

(B)

the Environmental Protection Agency;

(C)

the Department of Agriculture;

(D)

the Department of Housing and Urban Development;

(E)

the Army Corps of Engineers;

(F)

the Economic Development Administration;

(G)

the Indian Health Service;

(H)

the Bureau of Reclamation; and

(I)

any relevant State agency (within the meaning given in paragraph (2)).

(2)

Relevant State agency

In paragraph (1)(I), the term relevant State agency means any State agency designated for the purpose of this paragraph by the Governor of Arizona, California, New Mexico, or Texas.

(c)

Assessment functions

The task force shall—

(1)

assess the water needs of communities in the Southwest border region;

(2)

assess whether those needs are being met; and

(3)

if those needs are not being met, make proposals as to how those needs could be met.

(d)

Coordination functions

The task force shall establish procedures—

(1)

for determining the relative priority of water projects in the Southwest border region;

(2)

for coordinating the policies of the entities specified in subsection (b)(1), so far as those policies relate to meeting the water needs of communities in the Southwest border region; and

(3)

for coordinating the activities of the entities specified in subsection (b)(1), so far as those activities are aimed at meeting the water needs of communities in the Southwest border region.

(e)

Reports

The task force shall prepare a report every 6 months on the carrying out of its functions under subsections (c) and (d). The task force shall—

(1)

submit a copy of each report to Congress, and

(2)

make a copy of each report available to the public.

(f)

Southwest border region

In this section, the term Southwest border region means the region described in section 15732 of title 40, United States Code.

To establish a Southwest Border Region Water Task Force.

Legislative Activity

Bill Text