I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 6422 
To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to reauthorize certain 
EPA geographic programs, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 4, 2025 
Mr. STAUBER (for himself and Ms. MCDONALD RIVET) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to reau-
thorize certain EPA geographic programs, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘American Water Stew-
ardship Act’’. 
SEC. 2. GREAT LAKES RESTORATION INITIATIVE. 
Section 118(c)(7)(J)(i)(VI) of the Federal Water Pol-
lution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1268(c)(7)(J)(i)(VI)) is 
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nonprofit agencies, and other public or private 
entities’’; and 
(C) by striking paragraph (2) and insert-
ing the following: 
‘‘(2) MAXIMUM
AMOUNT.—Amounts provided 
for a project, activity, or study under this section 
shall not exceed an amount that is equal to 75 per-
cent of the total cost of such project, activity, or 
study. 
‘‘(3) ASSISTANCE
TO
NON-FEDERAL
ENTI-
TIES.—Not less than 25 percent of the cost of any 
project, activity, or study carried out using amounts 
provided to a non-Federal entity under this section 
shall be provided from non-Federal sources.’’. 
SEC. 6. NATIONAL ESTUARY PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 320 of the Federal Water 
Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1330) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)(2)(B), by striking ‘‘and 
Pensacola and Perdido Bays, Florida’’ and inserting 
‘‘Pensacola and Perdido Bays, Florida; and Mis-
sissippi Sound, Mississippi’’; and 
(2) in subsection (i)(1), in the matter preceding 
subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘2026’’ and inserting 
‘‘2031’’. 
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(b) INELIGIBILITY WITH RESPECT TO FISCAL YEARS 
2026 AND 2027.—With respect to the amendment made 
by subsection (a)(1), the Administrator of the Environ-
mental Protection Agency may not use for the implemen-
tation of that amendment, including, with respect to Mis-
sissippi Sound, Mississippi, convening a management con-
ference, developing or carrying out a comprehensive con-
servation and management plan, or providing grants 
under section 320 of the Federal Water Pollution Control 
Act (33 U.S.C. 1330)— 
(1) any amounts appropriated to carry out the 
national estuary program under that section for fis-
cal year 2026; or 
(2) unless the total amount appropriated to 
carry out that program for fiscal year 2027 is at 
least $850,000 more than the total amount appro-
priated to carry out that program for fiscal year 
2024, any amounts appropriated to carry out that 
program for fiscal year 2027. 
SEC. 7. COASTAL RECREATION WATER QUALITY MONI-
TORING AND NOTIFICATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.— 
(1) PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMEN-
TATION GRANTS.—Section 406 of the Federal Water 
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Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1346) is amend-
ed— 
(A) in subsection (b)— 
(i) in paragraph (3)(A)— 
(I) in clause (i), by striking 
‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(II) by redesignating clause (ii) 
as clause (iii); and 
(III) by inserting after clause (i) 
the following: 
‘‘(ii) in the case of a State that uses 
such grant to identify specific sources of 
contamination pursuant to paragraph (5), 
any data relating to such identified sources 
of contamination; and’’; and 
(ii) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(5) IDENTIFICATION OF SPECIFIC SOURCES OF 
CONTAMINATION.—A State or local government re-
ceiving a grant under this subsection may use such 
grant to identify specific sources of contamination 
for coastal recreation waters adjacent to beaches or 
similar points of access that are used by the pub-
lic.’’; and 
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(B) in subsection (i), by striking ‘‘2001 
through 2005’’ and inserting ‘‘2026 through 
2031’’. 
(2) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
Section 8 of the Beaches Environmental Assessment 
and Coastal Health Act of 2000 (Public Law 106– 
284; 114 Stat. 877) is amended by striking ‘‘2001 
through 2005’’ and inserting ‘‘2026 through 2031’’. 
(b) 
DEFINITION
OF
COASTAL
RECREATION 
WATERS.—Section 502(21)(A)(ii) of the Federal Water 
Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1362(21)(A)(ii)) is 
amended by striking ‘‘(including coastal estuaries)’’ and 
inserting ‘‘(including coastal estuaries, the mouths of riv-
ers and streams, nearby shallow waters, and waters 
present on beaches)’’. 
(c) GUIDANCE.—In providing guidance to States and 
local governments receiving grants under section 406 of 
the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 
1346), the Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
Agency shall ensure that such guidance reflects innova-
tions in testing technologies for water contamination. 
SEC. 8. LIMITATION ON USE OF FUNDS. 
No Federal funds made available for any of fiscal 
years 2026 through 2031 to carry out section 118, 119, 
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123, 125, 320, or 406 of the Federal Water Pollution Con-
trol Act may be provided to any non-Federal entity— 
(1) that is domiciled in, headquartered in, or 
organized under the laws of, or the principal place 
of business of which is located in, a foreign country 
of concern (as defined in section 10638 of the Re-
search and Development, Competition, and Innova-
tion Act (42 U.S.C. 19237)); or 
(2) that has in place any agreement or partner-
ship with a foreign country of concern. 
SEC. 9. GEOGRAPHIC PROGRAM REPORT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General 
of the United States shall submit to the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Committee on Environment and Pub-
lic Works of the Senate a report on EPA geographic pro-
grams. 
(b) REQUIRED EVALUATION.—In preparing the re-
port required under subsection (a), the Comptroller Gen-
eral shall include an evaluation, with respect to each EPA 
geographic program, of— 
(1) the management of funds, including the ef-
ficiency and effectiveness of program operations and 
the use of Federal funds; 
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