Diana E. Murphy United States Courthouse
Floor Speech
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Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 3021, America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2018. Every Member in this House should be able to support it. It is how Congress should work, and it is what the American people expect.
Overall, the bill would authorize $6.1 billion in Federal funds for the Army Corps of Engineers to carry out new and existing projects critical to our Nation's economy, environment, public health, and safety, including the Great Lakes region.
This legislation also includes the Drinking Water Systems Improvement Act, which the Energy and Commerce Committee approved last year, in bipartisan fashion. These provisions will improve drinking water systems and authorize $4.4 billion for the State Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund Program, which will provide much-needed Federal financing for States and utilities to strengthen drinking water infrastructure.
Everybody remembers Flint. Now we have PFAS. It is important that every American be able to trust the water they are drinking. This is why I am proud that this bill includes important provisions from legislation I introduced that would increase drinking water notifications and make consumer confidence reports on drinking water easier for every American to understand. It is an essential part of our response to drinking water crises in this country.
We have a crisis of confidence in our systems, and consumers deserve clear and immediate notifications and transparency when it comes to the quality of the water they are drinking. By requiring large water systems to provide consumer confidence reports biannually, the American people will have more frequent reports on water quality, which will help identify and mitigate risks sooner.
With 90 percent of Americans receiving their drinking water from a public drinking water system, it is our collective responsibility to provide strong funding authorizations for modernizing drinking water systems, and we must continue to find effective ways to keep the public informed.
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