Sponsors
The bill directs targeted federal funds and procedural support to complete rural and tribal water projects in North Dakota—speeding construction readiness and protecting against ordinary cost increases—while increasing federal spending and imposing caps and deadlines that could limit flexibility or leave some projects vulnerable to larger overruns or rushed planning.
Rural and tribal residents in North Dakota will receive federal funding to complete four state water projects and four tribal rural water systems, improving water supply, treatment, and public health.
State and local governments gain indexed appropriations that automatically adjust authorized amounts for ordinary construction cost increases, reducing the risk of mid-project funding shortfalls.
Rural and tribal projects can use funds to complete final engineering reports within two years, accelerating project readiness and speeding possible construction starts.
All taxpayers may face higher federal spending and potential increases in the deficit if these authorizations are not offset, increasing long-term fiscal burdens.
Rural and tribal projects could still face funding shortfalls if indexing tied to engineering cost indices does not cover larger-than-expected cost overruns or scope changes, risking incomplete or delayed work.
State and local governments may be constrained by a 50% cap on transfer increases, limiting flexibility to concentrate additional funds on a single project that requires more than a 50% increase.
Based on analysis of 6 sections of legislative text.
Introduced March 19, 2026 by Julie Fedorchak · Last progress March 19, 2026
Authorizes larger, indexed federal funding amounts and revised indexing rules to finish several named North Dakota water projects and four tribal rural water systems, and permits limited transfers among the named North Dakota project allocations. It also authorizes federal use of funds to complete final engineering reports for specified projects within two years and updates a statutory cross‑reference to include the newly added project subsection.