Bill · S. 3738· Senate(119-S-3738)
MORE WATER Act
- Introduced
- 1/29/2026
- Last activity
- 9/17/2026 — Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 652.
- Sponsored by
- Alex Padilla
- Cosponsors
- None
- Introduced
- On Calendar
What this bill would do
This bill is known as the MORE WATER Act, or the Making Our communities Resilient through Enhancing Water for Agriculture, Technology, the Environment, and Residences Act. It amends previous laws to update and manage water recycling and reuse programs. The legislation provides support for specific environmental and habitat restoration activities, such as those related to the Great Salt Lake and the Sacramento River. Additionally, the bill sets up a process to review and deauthorize inactive Bureau of Reclamation projects that have not received funding for several years.
Yes· 3 of 6
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?+6
The bill specifically funds safe drinking water benefits for low-income communities.
Would Native Americans be better off under this?+5
The bill includes Tribal communities in the definition of low-income communities for water benefits.
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?+5
The bill provides funding for habitat restoration and environmental benefits for water bodies like the Great Salt Lake.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Funding for Water Recycling Projects: Section 3(b) raises the federal share ceiling for water recycling projects to $50,000,000, adjusted based on the consumer price index. This could help communities secure more federal assistance for local water infrastructure.
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Environmental and Habitat Restoration: Section 3(c) authorizes support for activities to restore habitats at the Great Salt Lake and the Sacramento River, including fish passage improvements and hatchery modernization. This benefits local ecosystems and threatened or endangered species like Chinook salmon and steelhead trout, provided activities in Utah are done at the request of and in agreement with the State of Utah.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Deauthorization of Inactive Projects: Section 4 outlines a process to deauthorize Bureau of Reclamation projects that have not received funding during the fiscal year the Act is enacted or any of the preceding seven fiscal years. This could negatively impact communities relying on those stalled or inactive projects unless Congress provides funding, non-Federal sponsors finish them, or the Secretary of the Interior excludes them based on public health, safety, the economy, or the environment.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Low Income Households+6Good For Native Americans+5Good For Farmers+3
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Improves Environmental Protections+5
- Education And Technology
- Increases Scientific Research Funding+3
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+2
- 9/17/2026
- Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Lee with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
- Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 652.
- 7/29/2026
- Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
- 3/17/2026
- Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power. Hearings held.
- 1/29/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S380-381)
- Introduced in Senate