I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 6639 
To codify certain sections of Executive Order 14181 relating to emergency 
measures to provide water resources in California and improve disaster 
response in certain areas. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 11, 2025 
Mr. GRAY (for himself and Mr. COSTA) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To codify certain sections of Executive Order 14181 relating 
to emergency measures to provide water resources in 
California and improve disaster response in certain areas. 
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 Agency and 
Transparency Enhancement Review (WATER) Act’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:13 Dec 31, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6639.IH
H6639
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
SEC. 2. PLANS TO ADDRESS REGULATORY HURDLES FOR 
MAJOR 
WATER-SUPPLY 
AND 
STORAGE 
PROJECTS. 
(a) IDENTIFICATION OF MAJOR WATER-SUPPLY AND 
STORAGE PROJECTS.—The Secretary of the Interior and 
the Secretary of Commerce shall identify all ongoing or 
potential major water-supply and storage projects (includ-
ing surface and ground water storage projects, aquifer re-
charge projects, and State conveyance projects) within the 
State of California for which they have joint responsibility 
under section 7(a) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 
(16 U.S.C. 1536(a)) or individual responsibilities under 
the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 
4321 et seq.). 
(b) PLANS.— 
(1) 
DESIGNATION
OF
COMPLIANCE
OFFI-
CIALS.—With respect to the projects identified under 
subsection (a), the Secretary of the Interior and the 
Secretary of Commerce shall each designate one 
Federal official to coordinate each agency’s respec-
tive compliance responsibilities under the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 
et seq.) and the Endangered Species Act of 1973 
(16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). 
(2) IDENTIFICATION
OF
REGULATORY
HUR-
DLES.—Not later than 30 days after the date of en-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:13 Dec 31, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6639.IH
H6639
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
actment of this section, each Federal official des-
ignated under paragraph (1) shall— 
(A) identify any regulatory hurdles that 
unduly burden each project identified under 
subsection (a); 
(B) identify any recent changes in applica-
ble State or Federal law that may impact such 
projects from a regulatory perspective, includ-
ing changes made by the Fiscal Responsibility 
Act of 2023 (Public Law 118–5); and 
(C) develop a proposed plan, for review by 
the Secretaries, to appropriately suspend, re-
vise, or rescind any regulations or procedures 
that unduly burden such projects and are not 
necessary to protect the public interest or oth-
erwise comply with the law. 
(3) COORDINATION.—In carrying out para-
graph (2), each Federal official designated under 
paragraph (1) shall coordinate and share all appro-
priate information that will enable improved effi-
ciencies. 
(c) UNDULY BURDEN DEFINED.—In this section, the 
term ‘‘unduly burden’’ means to unnecessarily obstruct, 
delay, curtail, impede, or otherwise impose significant 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:13 Dec 31, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6639.IH
H6639
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
costs on the permitting, utilization, transmission, delivery, 
or supply of water resources and water infrastructure. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:13 Dec 31, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H6639.IH
H6639
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB