December 3, 2025
Mr. Husted (for himself and Mr. Schiff) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works
To require the Comptroller General of the United States to review all clean water-related technical assistance authorities of the Environmental Protection Agency, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Water Resources Technical Assistance Review Act of 2025
.
Sec. 2. GAO report on clean water technical assistance
(a) Definitions
In this section:
(1) Administrator
The term Administrator means the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
(2) Comptroller General
The term Comptroller General means the Comptroller General of the United States.
(3) Covered technical assistance
The term covered technical assistance means a technical assistance authority, initiative, or program of the Administrator that is related to clean water infrastructure.
(b) Comprehensive review required
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall initiate a comprehensive review of all covered technical assistance.
(c) Requirements
The Comptroller General shall include in the review required under subsection (b) the following:
(1)
A description of all covered technical assistance available to States, Indian Tribes, local governments, and nongovernmental organizations, including—
(A)
the regions and populations that are served through the provision of covered technical assistance; and
(B)
a summary of the activities and actions carried out through covered technical assistance during the 5-year period ending on the date of enactment of this Act.
(2)
A comprehensive review of how the Administrator, through the Water Technical Assistance initiative (commonly known as the WaterTA initiative
and referred to in this paragraph as the initiative
), identifies, selects, and partners with technical assistance providers to support communities, including—
(A)
a description of the criteria, evaluation process, and contracting mechanisms used for selecting those providers;
(B)
a description of the extent of coordination with State, Tribal, and regional partners in the selection and deployment of those providers;
(C)
a description of how those providers are matched to meet the needs of local communities, including any pre-engagement scoping activities or community consultations;
(D)
a description of how those providers identify communities in need of technical assistance, including economically distressed communities, and conduct outreach to those communities;
(E)
a description of the scope and types of assistance delivered through the initiative; and
(F)
a list of communities that received technical assistance support through the initiative, including the type and cost of assistance received by each such community and a summary of the outcomes associated with the provision of the technical assistance.
(3)
An analysis of any duplication of covered technical assistance available through multiple programs of the Administrator.
(4)
An evaluation of how the provision of covered technical assistance builds capacity in communities to access other water infrastructure programs carried out by the Administrator.
(5)
An assessment of the needs of economically distressed communities eligible to receive assistance under a clean water infrastructure program carried out by the Administrator that is not addressed through covered technical assistance.
(6)
An evaluation of how the Administrator carries out covered technical assistance in coordination with the heads of other Federal agencies that provide technical assistance related to water infrastructure.
(7)
An evaluation of how covered technical assistance supports communities in understanding, identifying, and implementing alternative and cost-effective technologies and features of treatment works that achieve long-term savings and improved outcomes in addressing water quality challenges.
(d) Report
On the completion of the review required under subsection (b), the Comptroller General shall submit to the Administrator, the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate, and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a report containing—
(1)
the findings of the review; and
(2)
any recommendations to improve covered technical assistance.
(e) Plan for compliance
Not later than 90 days after the date on which the Comptroller General submits the report required under subsection (d), and annually thereafter for each of the following 5 years, the Administrator shall submit to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a plan describing any actions the Administrator has taken to comply with the recommendations contained in the report.