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119-hr-6229119th CongressWALLET

Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act Amendments of 2025

Sponsored By: Representative Schrier, Kim [D-WA-8]

Introduced

Summary

Expands WIFIA access to small and rural water projects. This bill would widen who qualifies for Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act support and add outreach, technical help, and new project categories so smaller and tribal communities can get loans and planning help more easily.

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  • Small communities and tribal projects would be newly reachable. "Small community" is defined as places with up to 25,000 people, and the minimum eligible project cost is cut from $5 million to $1 million so more local projects can apply.
  • Financing rules and project types would change. The bill adds state-led storage, transferred works, and certain congressionally authorized projects as eligible, allows collaborative delivery like design-build, and lets loan terms run up to 55 years for long-lived projects.
  • Administration, reporting, and budget rules are updated. It requires outreach and reports, adjusts budget treatment for certain non-Federal-funded assistance, and authorizes $68 million to EPA and $15 million to the Army Corps per year for FY2025–2029.

*Would authorize about $83 million per year for FY2025–2029, increasing federal budget authority for WIFIA-related activities.*

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Funding for water loans through 2029

If enacted, the program would get $68 million each year to the Administrator and $15 million each year to the Secretary for fiscal years 2025–2029. The money would stay available until spent. This would support loans and help for water projects.

More help for small and rural water projects

If enacted, this would open the program to smaller and rural projects. The minimum project cost would drop from $5 million to $1 million. Small communities with 25,000 people or fewer would be able to get engineering and financial planning help. The Administrator would need an outreach plan to small communities within 180 days after enactment. The bill would also broaden what counts as a rural water project, including certain Reclamation, Tribal, and other federally authorized projects.

More water projects eligible, longer loan terms

If enacted, more project types could apply, including state-led storage, transferred works, and some congressionally authorized non-Federal water projects. For projects that last more than 35 years, loans could run up to 55 years after substantial completion, or the project's shorter useful life. The Secretary or Administrator would decide a project's useful life.

Budget rules for non-Federal water loans

If enacted, loans to non-Federal entities that are repaid with non-Federal revenue would be treated as direct loans or guarantees for federal budget scoring. This would change federal accounting, not who pays project costs or who can apply.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Schrier, Kim [D-WA-8]

WA • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Newhouse, Dan [R-WA-4]

    WA • R

    Sponsored 11/20/2025

  • Rep. Garamendi, John [D-CA-8]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 11/20/2025

  • Rep. LaMalfa, Doug [R-CA-1]

    CA • R

    Sponsored 11/20/2025

  • Rep. Costa, Jim [D-CA-21]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 11/20/2025

  • Rep. Fong, Vince [R-CA-20]

    CA • R

    Sponsored 11/20/2025

  • Rep. Davids, Sharice [D-KS-3]

    KS • D

    Sponsored 11/20/2025

  • Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1]

    PA • R

    Sponsored 12/23/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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