Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
The DROUGHT Act of 2026 increases federal financial support for water infrastructure projects in drought-affected areas. The bill amends existing water financing law to allow the federal government to fund up to 90 percent of project costs (previously lower limits) for water projects located in states experiencing severe drought conditions for at least four weeks in the past five years, or in counties where the governor has declared a drought emergency. Projects must also either serve low-income communities where household income is at or below 200 percent of the poverty line, or be designated as regionally or nationally significant because they improve drinking water supply, enhance water reuse, reduce water usage, lower costs to consumers, or provide substantial public health benefits. The legislation, introduced in March 2026 by a group of House members primarily from western states, directs federal agencies to prioritize financing for these drought-affected water projects but does not specify new funding amounts or implementation deadlines.
Take Action
Your position
Add a comment
to comment on this bill.
Annotate the text
Highlight any passage on the Summary or Full Text tab to attach a note. Annotations appear on the Annotations tab.