Sponsors (6)
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Creates a dedicated, interest-bearing Treasury account to hold non‑Federal cost-share contributions for the Lower Colorado River multi‑species conservation program, sets rules for deposits, investments, transfers, and access to funds, and requires prior State Party contributions to be moved into the account within 90 days. The account allows the Treasury to invest idle balances in U.S. interest‑bearing obligations and makes deposited principal available to the Secretary without further appropriation while interest earnings are available only if Congress appropriates them; it also protects State Parties from liability for investment losses.
The bill centralizes and accelerates use of State contributions for Lower Colorado River conservation—improving transparency, enabling faster spending, and allowing modest investment income—while reducing congressional and State control over those funds and shifting some financial/admin risk to thef
Lower Colorado River conservation programs and their beneficiaries: state-contributed principal deposited in the new Treasury Fund is immediately available to the Secretary without further appropriation, enabling faster spending on conservation projects.
General public and oversight stakeholders: State Parties’ past and future non‑Federal contributions are held in a dedicated Treasury account, improving transparency and tracking of funds.
State Parties and program beneficiaries: previously contributed unexpended amounts must be transferred into the new Fund within 90 days, consolidating historical contributions so funds are accessible quickly for program use.
General public and congressional oversight: making deposited non‑Federal principal available without further appropriation reduces Congress’s appropriation oversight of those funds once they are in the federal account.
Taxpayers and program beneficiaries: interest earnings can only be spent if Congress appropriates them, meaning taxpayers lose direct control and program activities funded by interest could be delayed by the appropriations process.
State Parties: consolidating State contributions into a federal Treasury account may reduce States’ direct control over the timing and use of their funds for local priorities.
Introduced January 31, 2025 by Ken Calvert · Last progress March 17, 2026