OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Water Infrastructure Improvement Act

Floor Speech

By: Bob Latta
By: Bob Latta
Date: Dec. 19, 2018
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Infrastructure Environment Natural Resources

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Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, the gentleman from Ohio, for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 7279, the Water Infrastructure Improvement Act.

Throughout my tenure in Congress, I have worked on legislation to give our Nation's communities more flexibility to comply with costly regulations in regards to their wastewater infrastructure improvements. In each Congress since 2008, I have introduced legislation that addresses these issues and provides relief to our local communities.

I have heard from many villages, towns, and cities across my district over the years that struggle to meet wastewater and stormwater improvement demands. This legislation is a key step to build on the work I have previously done to provide relief to our constituents by allowing them to more effectively and efficiently meet their specific water needs.

There are billions of dollars worth of water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure needs in the State of Ohio. It is critical to provide communities with the ability to meet their obligations in a more cost-effective manner.

This legislation will codify the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Integrated Planning Framework and provide additional tools and flexibility for communities to comply with mandated wastewater infrastructure improvement projects.

This is important because it allows municipalities and clean water utilities to decide how best to spend their limited resources. Integrated planning allows communities to allocate funds in a targeted manner, allowing them to focus on the most effective water quality improvements.

Mr. Speaker, again, I want to thank my colleague Representative Gibbs, as well as Representatives Chabot, Napolitano, Fudge, and Bustos for working together to get this bipartisan piece of legislation passed. I will continue to work with my colleagues in both chambers to ensure that this bipartisan bill reaches the President's desk in order to help improve our Nation's water infrastructure and protect the ratepayers.

I urge all my colleagues to support this measure, and, again, I thank my colleague for introducing the legislation.

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