I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7258 
To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance 
Act to ensure that the Federal Emergency Management Agency provides 
access to potable water for individuals during a public health emergency. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 18, 2020 
Mr. LEVIN of Michigan (for himself, Ms. TLAIB, Ms. STEVENS, Mr. KILDEE, 
Ms. SLOTKIN, Mrs. LAWRENCE, and Mrs. DINGELL) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emer-
gency Assistance Act to ensure that the Federal Emer-
gency Management Agency provides access to potable 
water for individuals during a public health emergency. 
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 ‘‘Water for Public 
Health Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. ACCESS TO WATER. 
The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emer-
gency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5141 et seq.) is amended: 
(1) in section 403 by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(e) ACCESS TO WATER AND SANITATION IN A PUB-
LIC HEALTH EMERGENCY.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), during an emergency period (as defined 
in section 1135(g)(1) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 
1320b–5(g)(1))), 
the 
President, 
acting 
through the Administrator of the Federal Emer-
gency Management Agency, may— 
‘‘(A) through the use of Federal depart-
ments, agencies, and instrumentalities provide 
every individual access to potable water and 
basic sanitation; and 
‘‘(B) make grants to States, local govern-
ments, Indian tribal governments, and owners 
or operators of private nonprofit facilities to as-
sist in carrying out subparagraph (A), which 
may include— 
‘‘(i) installation of mobile water sta-
tions; 
‘‘(ii) installation of handwashing fa-
cilities; 
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‘‘(iii) distribution or delivery of emer-
gency bottled water and personal and home 
sanitization products; 
‘‘(iv) reconnection of water utility 
service, regardless of when such service 
was discontinued or for what reason; and 
‘‘(v) moratorium on water utility shut-
offs. 
‘‘(2) STATE
AND
LOCAL
GOVERNMENT
CON-
TRACTS
OR
REIMBURSEMENT.—The Administrator 
shall also provide reimbursement to a State, local 
government, or Indian tribal government that pro-
vided services described in paragraph (1) during the 
emergency period.’’; and 
(2) in section 502 by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(d) ACCESS TO WATER AND SANITATION IN A PUB-
LIC HEALTH EMERGENCY.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), during an emergency period (as defined 
in section 1135(g)(1) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 
1320b–5(g)(1))), 
the 
President, 
acting 
through the Administrator of the Federal Emer-
gency Management Agency may— 
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