Western Water Accelerated Revenue Repayment Act

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Bill ID: 119/hr/132
Last Updated: February 14, 2025

Sponsored by

Rep. Boebert, Lauren [R-CO-4]

ID: B000825

Bill's Journey to Becoming a Law

Track this bill's progress through the legislative process

Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

January 3, 2025

Introduced

Committee Review

📍 Current Status

Next: The bill moves to the floor for full chamber debate and voting.

🗳️

Floor Action

âś…

Passed House

🏛️

Senate Review

🎉

Passed Congress

🖊️

Presidential Action

⚖️

Became Law

📚 How does a bill become a law?

1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.

2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.

3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.

4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.

5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.

6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.

7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!

Bill Summary

Another masterpiece of legislative legerdemain, courtesy of the esteemed Congresswoman Boebert. Let's dissect this trainwreck and expose the underlying disease.

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The Western Water Accelerated Revenue Repayment Act (WWARRA) claims to "extend certain contract prepayment authority" under the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (WIIN). How noble. In reality, it's a thinly veiled attempt to funnel more money into the pockets of special interest groups and cronies.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill amends Section 4011(d)(2) of WIIN by inserting a cleverly worded clause that allows for "project-specific statutes" to direct funds away from the General Reclamation Fund. This is nothing more than a shell game, designed to obscure the true intentions of the bill. The extension of prepayment authority in Section 4013 is merely a smokescreen, allowing the government to pretend it's being fiscally responsible while actually enabling further pork-barrel spending.

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The usual suspects will benefit from this legislation: water districts, agricultural interests, and construction companies. Meanwhile, the American taxpayer will foot the bill for these sweetheart deals. Don't be surprised if some of Congresswoman Boebert's biggest donors have a vested interest in these projects.

**Potential Impact & Implications:** This bill is a classic case of "watering down" (pun intended) accountability and transparency in government spending. By allowing project-specific statutes to siphon funds away from the General Reclamation Fund, WWARRA creates an environment ripe for corruption and cronyism. The extension of prepayment authority only serves to further entrench these bad practices.

Diagnosis: This bill is suffering from a severe case of "Special Interest-itis," a disease characterized by an excessive focus on pleasing donors and cronies at the expense of the general public. Symptoms include opaque language, cleverly crafted loopholes, and a complete disregard for fiscal responsibility.

Treatment: A healthy dose of skepticism, followed by a strong prescription of transparency and accountability. Unfortunately, this patient is unlikely to recover, as the disease has already metastasized throughout the body politic.

Related Topics

Civil Rights & Liberties Transportation & Infrastructure National Security & Intelligence Congressional Rules & Procedures Criminal Justice & Law Enforcement Small Business & Entrepreneurship State & Local Government Affairs Government Operations & Accountability Federal Budget & Appropriations
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đź’° Campaign Finance Network

Rep. Boebert, Lauren [R-CO-4]

Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle

Total Contributions
$137,987
20 donors
PACs
$0
Organizations
$3,919
Committees
$0
Individuals
$134,068

No PAC contributions found

1
ENERGY STRONG LLC
1 transaction
$2,000
2
EFFECTV
1 transaction
$1,169
3
CAPITOL FOCUS LLC
1 transaction
$500
4
J A'S LLC
1 transaction
$250

No committee contributions found

1
CUYLER, BEVERLY
2 transactions
$15,700
2
COVINGTON, GARY
2 transactions
$13,400
3
WHIGHAM, CAROLYN
2 transactions
$13,068
4
BARKER, ROBIN
2 transactions
$12,600
5
ELLIOTT, DAVID
1 transaction
$8,300
6
CLARK, ROBERT
1 transaction
$6,600
7
BECK, ELAINE
1 transaction
$6,600
8
HINMAN, ROY H.
1 transaction
$6,600
9
ELLIOTT, KAREN
1 transaction
$6,600
10
WILSON, MICHAEL
1 transaction
$6,600
11
LAMELAS, PETER
1 transaction
$6,600
12
JONES, JUDY
1 transaction
$6,600
13
DUNN, TIM
1 transaction
$6,500
14
DUNN, TERRI
1 transaction
$6,500
15
HEGARTY, PATRICK
1 transaction
$6,000
16
UIHLEIN, RICHARD
1 transaction
$5,800

Cosponsors & Their Campaign Finance

This bill has 1 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.

Rep. Hurd, Jeff [R-CO-3]

ID: H001100

Top Contributors

10

1
OTERO COUNTY REPUBLICAN WOMEN
Organization LA JUNTA, CO
$2,000
Nov 22, 2024
2
GARY DOEHLING PC
Organization GRAND JUNCTION, CO
$2,000
Jan 22, 2024
3
MESA COUNTY REPUBLICAN MEN'S CLUB
Organization GRAND JUNCTION, CO
$500
Nov 22, 2024
4
DEARMAN CONSULTING LLC
Organization MEEKER, CO
$500
Feb 12, 2024
5
L BAR SLASH RANCH
Organization MEEKER, CO
$500
Feb 12, 2024
6
MONTEZUMA COUNTY REPUBLICAN CENTRAL COMMITTEE
Organization CORTEZ, CO
$200
Oct 30, 2024
7
BENSON, BRUCE
RETIRED • RETIRED
Individual DENVER, CO
$5,000
Nov 1, 2024
8
ABBOTT, DEBRA
RETIRED • RETIRED
Individual MONTROSE, CO
$3,300
Sep 30, 2024
9
ABBOTT, SARAH
IRELAND STAPLETON PRYOR AND PASCOE PC • LAWYER
Individual MONTROSE, CO
$3,300
Sep 3, 2024
10
ABBOTT, THOMAS
RETIRED • RETIRED
Individual MONTROSE, CO
$3,300
Sep 30, 2024

Donor Network - Rep. Boebert, Lauren [R-CO-4]

PACs
Organizations
Individuals
Politicians

Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.

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Showing 25 nodes and 27 connections

Total contributions: $142,487

Top Donors - Rep. Boebert, Lauren [R-CO-4]

Showing top 20 donors by contribution amount

4 Orgs16 Individuals

Project 2025 Policy Matches

This bill shows semantic similarity to the following sections of the Project 2025 policy document. Higher similarity scores indicate stronger thematic connections.

Introduction

Low 59.5%
Pages: 461-463

— 429 — Environmental Protection Agency As a matter of broad practice, OW should be complying with statutorily estab- lished deadlines in all situations with only minimal exceptions. In cases where statutory deadlines will not be met, senior management should be made aware of the delay and should have an opportunity to determine whether alternative courses should be taken. Depending on the outcome of regulations from the Biden Administration as well as intervention by the Supreme Court on both waters of the United States (WOTUS) and CWA Section 401,29 the repeal and reissuance of new regulations should be pursued. New Policies New regulations should include the following: l A WOTUS rule that makes clear what is and is not a “navigable water” and respects private property rights. Coordinate with Congress to develop legislation, if necessary, to codify the definition in Rapanos v. United States that “waters of the United States” can refer only to “relatively permanent, standing or continuously flowing bodies of water…as opposed to ordinarily dry channels through which water occasionally or intermittently flows.”30 l A rule that provides clarity and regulatory certainty regarding the CWA Section 401 water quality certification process to limit unnecessary delay for needed projects, including by establishing a discharge-only approach with a limited scope (from point sources into navigable waters), assessing only water quality factors that are consistent with specific CWA sections, and excluding speculative analysis regarding future potential harm. l A rule to ensure that CWA Section 30831 has a clear and enforced time limit. l A rule to clarify the standard for criminal negligence under CWA Sections 40232 and 404.33 l A rule to prohibit retroactive or preemptive permits under CWA Section 404. l A rule to promote and shape nutrient trading that utilizes a carrot-versus- stick approach when dealing with nutrient compliance. l A rule to update compensatory mitigation that imposes no new or additional requirements beyond current law. l A rule on updates necessary for the effective use of the CWA needs survey. — 430 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise l An executive order requiring EPA to find avenues and expedite the process for states obtaining primacy in available CWA and SDWA programs. This order would require coordination with the Army Corps of Engineers and the Department of the Interior. l Implementation of additional policies to address challenges in water workforce, issues surrounding timely actions on primacy applications, and cybersecurity. Budget While the overall goal is certainly to reduce government spending, there is one very targeted area where increased spending would be in the nation’s interest. The Clean Water Act needs survey is the entire basis for how congressionally appro- priated funds directed to state revolving funds—standard annual appropriations that are the true underpinning of all infrastructure funding for drinking water and clean water—are distributed by EPA across the country. Because this program is currently underfunded, money is being thrown at untargeted locations while water infrastructure is crumbling at other locations. Increased targeted funding would greatly benefit water systems across the country at a time when intervention is crucial, leaving fewer communities with significant water service challenges. Personnel OW would benefit greatly from the reshifting of SES employees to different programs and from headquarters out to regional offices. OFFICE OF LAND AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT (OLEM) OLEM’s mission is to partner with other federal agencies, states, tribes, local governments, and communities to clean up legacy pollution and revitalize land for reuse. OLEM executes this mission by protecting human health and the envi- ronment while leveraging economic opportunities and creating jobs. OLEM also oversees the agency’s emergency response. The main statutes that OLEM exe- cutes are the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)34 to regulate waste management; the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)35 to clean up Superfund sites and provide resources for cleaning up brownfields sites; and Section 112(r) of the Clean Air Act36 to reduce the likelihood of accidental chemical releases. Needed Reforms OLEM’s main function is to oversee the execution of cleanups under CERCLA and RCRA; therefore, it is critical that OLEM staff focus on project management more than policy creation. Emphasizing productivity more than process and policies

Introduction

Low 52.6%
Pages: 569-571

— 536 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise 2. Engaging in real-time monitoring of operations. l Reduce bureaucratic inefficiencies by consolidating federal water working groups. l Implement actions identified in the Federal Action Plan for Improving Fore- casts of Water Availability,93 especially by adopting improvements related to: 1. Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations; and 2. Arial Snow Observation Systems. l Clarify the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act94 to ensure consistent application with other federal infrastructure loan programs under the Federal Credit Reform Act. This should be done to foster opportunities for locally led investment in water infrastructure. l Reinstate Presidential Memorandum on Promoting the Reliable Supply and Delivery of Water in the West.95 AMERICAN INDIANS AND U.S. TRUST RESPONSIBILITY The Biden Administration has breached its federal trust responsibilities to American Indians. This is unconscionable. Specifically, the Biden Administra- tion’s war on domestically available fossil fuels and mineral sources has been devastating. To wit: l The ability of American Indians and tribal governments to develop their abundant oil and gas resources has been severely hampered, depriving them of the revenue and profits to which they are entitled during a time of increasing worldwide energy prices, forcing American Indians—who are among the poorest Americans—to choose between food and fuel. l Indian nations with significant coal resources have some of the highest quality and cleanest-burning coal in the world, but the Biden Administration has sought to destroy the market for their coal by eliminating coal-fired electricity in the country and to prevent the transport of their coal for sale internationally. Meanwhile, the Biden Administration, at great public expense, artificially boosted the demand for electric vehicles, which, because of their remote locations, the absence of increased electricity demands for charging electric vehicles nearby, and the distances to be traveled, are not a choice for Indian communities.

Introduction

Low 52.6%
Pages: 569-571

— 536 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise 2. Engaging in real-time monitoring of operations. l Reduce bureaucratic inefficiencies by consolidating federal water working groups. l Implement actions identified in the Federal Action Plan for Improving Fore- casts of Water Availability,93 especially by adopting improvements related to: 1. Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations; and 2. Arial Snow Observation Systems. l Clarify the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act94 to ensure consistent application with other federal infrastructure loan programs under the Federal Credit Reform Act. This should be done to foster opportunities for locally led investment in water infrastructure. l Reinstate Presidential Memorandum on Promoting the Reliable Supply and Delivery of Water in the West.95 AMERICAN INDIANS AND U.S. TRUST RESPONSIBILITY The Biden Administration has breached its federal trust responsibilities to American Indians. This is unconscionable. Specifically, the Biden Administra- tion’s war on domestically available fossil fuels and mineral sources has been devastating. To wit: l The ability of American Indians and tribal governments to develop their abundant oil and gas resources has been severely hampered, depriving them of the revenue and profits to which they are entitled during a time of increasing worldwide energy prices, forcing American Indians—who are among the poorest Americans—to choose between food and fuel. l Indian nations with significant coal resources have some of the highest quality and cleanest-burning coal in the world, but the Biden Administration has sought to destroy the market for their coal by eliminating coal-fired electricity in the country and to prevent the transport of their coal for sale internationally. Meanwhile, the Biden Administration, at great public expense, artificially boosted the demand for electric vehicles, which, because of their remote locations, the absence of increased electricity demands for charging electric vehicles nearby, and the distances to be traveled, are not a choice for Indian communities. — 537 — Department of the Interior l A significant percentage of critical minerals needed by the United States is on Indian lands, but the Biden Administration has actively discouraged development of critical mineral mining projects on Indian lands rather than assisting in their advancement. l Despite Indian nations having primary responsibility for their lands and environment and responsibility for the safety of their communities, the Biden Administration is reversing efforts to put Indian nations in charge of environmental regulation on their own lands. Moreover, Biden Administration policies, including those of the DOI, have dis- proportionately impacted American Indians and Indian nations. l By its failure to secure the border, the Biden Administration has robbed Indian nations on or near the Mexican border of safe and secure communities while permitting them to be swamped by a tide of illegal drugs, particularly fentanyl. l When ending COVID protocols at Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) schools, Biden’s DOI failed to ensure an accurate accounting of students returning from school shutdowns, which presents a significant danger to the families that trust their children to that federal agency. l The BIE is not reporting student academic assessment data to ensure parents and the larger tribal communities know their children are learning and are receiving a quality education. The new Administration must take the following actions to fulfill the nation’s trust responsibilities to American Indians and Indian nations: l End the war on fossil fuels and domestically available minerals and facilitate their development on lands owned by Indians and Indian nations. l End federal mandates and subsidies of electric vehicles. l Restore the right of tribal governments to enforce environmental regulation on their lands. l Secure the nation’s border to protect the sovereignty and safety of tribal lands.

Showing 3 of 5 policy matches

About These Correlations

Policy matches are calculated using semantic similarity between bill summaries and Project 2025 policy text. A score of 60% or higher indicates meaningful thematic overlap. This does not imply direct causation or intent, but highlights areas where legislation aligns with Project 2025 policy objectives.