October 16, 2025
Mr. Boozman (for himself, Mr. Kelly, Mrs. Hyde-Smith, Mrs. Shaheen, and Ms. Cortez Masto) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works
To amend the Water Resources Research Act of 1984 to reauthorize the water resources research and technology institutes program, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Advancing Water Research and Collaboration Act of 2025
or the AWRC Act of 2025
.
Sec. 2. Congressional declaration of purpose
Section 103(4) of the Water Resources Research Act of 1984 (42 U.S.C. 10302(4)) is amended by inserting , including the growing artificial intelligence industry,
after private industry
.
Sec. 3. Water resources research and technology institutes
Section 104 of the Water Resources Research Act of 1984 (42 U.S.C. 10303) is amended—
(1)
in subsection (f)—
(A)
in paragraph (2), by striking subsection 104(g) of this Act
and inserting subsection (g)
; and
(B)
by striking the subsection designation and all that follows through Any sums
in paragraph (2) and inserting the following:
(f) General authorization of appropriations
(1) In general
Except as provided in paragraph (2) and subject to subsection (g)(1), there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $16,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2029.
(2) Failure to obligate
Any amounts; and
(2)
in subsection (g)—
(A)
in paragraph (2), by striking (2) Research funds
and inserting the following:
;(4) Competitive grants
(B)
in paragraph (1)—
(i)
in the third sentence, by striking Funds made
and inserting the following:
(3) Availability of funds
Funds made; and
(ii)
by striking by institutes which focuses
in the first sentence and all that follows through Such funds when appropriated
in the second sentence and inserting the following:
by institutes with respect to any of the following:
(A)
Research that focuses on water problems and issues of a regional or interstate nature beyond those of concern only to a single State.
(B)
Research that relates to specific program priorities identified jointly by the Secretary and the institutes.
(C)
Research that relates to water problems identified by Congress as being of an interstate nature.
(2) Federal cost-share
Funds made available under this subsection; and
(C)
by striking the subsection designation and all that follows through 2025
in the first sentence of paragraph (1) and inserting the following:
(g) Additional funds for research focused on water problems of interstate nature
(1) In general
Of the amounts made available under subsection (f)(1) for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2029, 20 percent shall be used