I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8030 
To amend the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014 
with respect to the total amount of Federal assistance for projects 
in States experiencing severe drought and projects in historically dis-
advantaged communities, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 16, 2024 
Mr. PETERS (for himself, Ms. BARRAGA´N, Mr. RUIZ, and Mr. VARGAS) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Trans-
portation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on En-
ergy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 
the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation 
Act of 2014 with respect to the total amount of Federal 
assistance for projects in States experiencing severe 
drought and projects in historically disadvantaged com-
munities, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Drought Relief Ob-
tained Using Government Help Today Act of 2024’’ or 
the ‘‘DROUGHT Act of 2024’’. 
SEC. 2. FEDERAL ASSISTANCE FOR CERTAIN WATER INFRA-
STRUCTURE PROJECTS. 
Section 5029(b)(9) of the Water Infrastructure Fi-
nance and Innovation Act of 2014 (33 U.S.C. 3908(b)(9)) 
is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(D) 
EXCEPTIONS
FOR
CERTAIN 
PROJECTS.— 
‘‘(i) PROJECTS
IN
STATES
EXPERI-
ENCING
SEVERE
DROUGHT.—Notwith-
standing subparagraph (A), the Adminis-
trator may finance up to 90 percent of the 
costs of a project described in paragraph 
(6) or (7) of section 5026 located in— 
‘‘(I) a State that has been des-
ignated as D2 (severe drought) or 
greater according to the United States 
Drought Monitor for a minimum of 4 
weeks during any of the 3 years pre-
ceding the date on which assistance is 
provided for the project under this 
subtitle; or 
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‘‘(II) a county for which a 
drought emergency has been declared 
by the applicable Governor at any 
time during the 3-year period pre-
ceding that date. 
‘‘(ii) PROJECTS IN HISTORICALLY DIS-
ADVANTAGED
COMMUNITIES.—Notwith-
standing subparagraph (A), the Adminis-
trator may finance up to 90 percent of the 
costs of a project described in paragraph 
(6) or (7) of section 5026 that serves a 
community that— 
‘‘(I) is designated as disadvan-
taged, underserved, or financially dis-
tressed by— 
‘‘(aa) the Climate and Eco-
nomic Justice Screening Tool of 
the Council on Environmental 
Quality; or 
‘‘(bb) 
the 
Administrator 
pursuant to a water infrastruc-
ture program of the Environ-
mental Protection Agency, in-
cluding 
water 
infrastructure 
grant programs, clean water and 
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drinking water grant programs, 
and other grant programs under 
the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 
U.S.C. 300f et seq.) and the Fed-
eral Water Protection Control 
Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.); or 
‘‘(II) meets the affordability cri-
teria established by a State pursuant 
to section 1452(d)(3) of the Safe 
Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j– 
12(d)(3)) or section 603(i)(2) of the 
Federal Water Pollution Control Act 
(33 U.S.C. 1383(i)(2)). 
‘‘(iii) PRIORITY.—In carrying out this 
subparagraph, the Administrator shall 
prioritize financing for projects that— 
‘‘(I) are located in a State that is 
experiencing severe drought, as de-
scribed in subclause (I) of clause (i), 
or a county for which a drought emer-
gency has been declared, as described 
in subclause (II) of that clause; and 
‘‘(II) serve a community that is 
designated as disadvantaged, under-
served, or financially distressed, or 
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meets affordability criteria established 
by a State, as described in clause 
(ii).’’. 
Æ 
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