Sponsors
The bill restores and extends USDA rural water and wastewater grant eligibility through 2026–2031 to support planning and safer systems, but it creates a multi-year coverage gap before 2026 and increases federal spending.
Rural communities, local governments, and small businesses retain eligibility for USDA water and wastewater grants during 2026–2031, enabling planning, construction, and maintenance of safer drinking water and sewage systems.
There is a multi-year statutory coverage gap until 2026 for communities that relied on the prior 2019–2023 authority, which could delay projects or leave water/waste needs unaddressed in the interim.
Extending grant eligibility and the funding/authority window through 2031 increases federal outlays, which could raise costs for taxpayers or add to the federal budget deficit.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Extends the covered fiscal years for USDA rural water, waste disposal, and wastewater facility grant authority from 2019–2023 to 2026–2031.
Changes the covered fiscal years for a USDA rural water/waste disposal/wastewater grant provision from the expired 2019–2023 window to a new 2026–2031 window. The bill only updates the statutory time period and does not itself authorize or appropriate new funding or change program eligibility or requirements.
Introduced February 10, 2026 by David J. Taylor · Last progress February 10, 2026