March 12, 2026
Mr. Booker (for himself and Mrs. Capito) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
To amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to modify provisions relating to rural decentralized water systems grants.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
Section 1. Rural decentralized water systems grant program modifications
Section 306E of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926e) is amended—
(1)
by striking the section designation and heading and all that follows through the end of subsection (b)(1) and inserting the following:
306E. Grants to nonprofit organizations making loans and subgrants for construction, refurbishing, and servicing of individually owned household water well systems and household decentralized wastewater systems in rural areas
(a) Grants to nonprofit organizations
The Secretary may provide grants to private nonprofit organizations for the purpose of providing subgrants and loans in accordance with subsection (b) to individuals for the construction, refurbishing, and servicing of individual household water well systems and individually owned household decentralized wastewater systems in rural areas that are or will be owned by the individuals.
(b) Loans and subgrants to individuals
(1) In general
A nonprofit organization shall use grant amounts received under subsection (a) to provide—
(A)
subgrants for use in accordance with this section to individuals residing in the service area of the nonprofit organization who are members of a household with a combined income (for the most recent 12-month period for which the information is available) that is less than 60 percent of the median nonmetropolitan household income for the area, according to the most recent decennial census; and
(B)
loans for use in accordance with this section to individuals residing in the service area of the nonprofit organization who are members of a household with a combined income (for the most recent 12-month period for which the information is available) that is not less than 60 percent and not more than 100 percent of the median nonmetropolitan household income for the area, according to the most recent decennial census.;
(2)
in subsection (b)—
(A)
in paragraph (2)(B), by striking $15,000
and inserting $20,000
; and
(B)
by adding at the end the following:
(5) Funding to cover cost of performance warranties
A subgrant provided to an individual under this subsection for an individually owned household decentralized wastewater system may include sufficient additional funding to cover the cost of a performance warranty with a duration of at least 5 years.; and
(3)
in subsection (d), by striking 2023
and inserting 2031
.