# 119-hr-7978: Cooperative Watershed Management Program Reauthorization Act of 2026

119-hr-7978, Cooperative Watershed Management Program Reauthorization Act of 2026, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Ciscomani, Juan [R-AZ-6] (R-AZ); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-06-26).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7978
- As of: 2026-06-26
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-7978
- Congress: 119
- Title: Cooperative Watershed Management Program Reauthorization Act of 2026
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-03-18
- Sponsor: Rep. Ciscomani, Juan [R-AZ-6] (R-AZ)
- Cosponsors: 2
- Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-06-26

## Summary

**Expands and funds cooperative watershed partnerships by explicitly including Indian tribes and boosting multi-year planning grants.** - Tribes and tribal communities: Tribes would be explicitly eligible by referencing the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act and by allowing entities with ancestral lands in a watershed to qualify. - Local watershed groups and project sponsors: First-phase grant ceiling would rise from $100,000 to $150,000 per year, and successful recipients could receive up to two additional years of continuation funding at $150,000 annually. - Applicants and program operation: The bill would broaden eligible activities to fund grant writing, project management, and technical assistance. It would also require continuous enrollment with multiple application windows and public publication of CWMP information. *Would authorize $40 million per year for fiscal years 2027–2031, increasing potential federal outlays by that amount if Congress appropriates the funds.*

## Cosponsors (2)

- Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2] (D-CO), 2026-03-18T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-18] (D-CA), 2026-06-24T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Bigger watershed grants and extensions: benefit, medium. This bill would raise the CWMP first‑phase grant ceiling to $150,000 per year for an initial period of not less than three years, subject to the sufficiency of applications and available appropriations. The Secretary could extend a first‑phase grant for up to two additional years if the recipient s…
- More federal funding for watersheds: benefit, medium. This bill would authorize $40,000,000 to be appropriated each year for the Cooperative Watershed Management Program for fiscal years 2027 through 2031. That is $200 million of authorizations across five years. Congress would still need to appropriate the money before the program could spend it.
- More groups and tribes can apply: benefit, medium. This bill would expand who can qualify for CWMP grants. It would explicitly include Indian tribes (as defined in 25 U.S.C. 5304) and allow entities that have ancestral lands within a watershed to be eligible. It would also let applicants qualify by showing significant need from drought, wildfire, o…
- Easier grants, more rounds, public data: benefit, low. This bill would let CWMP grant funds pay for planning and preparation work, including grant writing, project management, feasibility studies, design, preliminary environmental review, and engineering. The Secretary would have to offer funding opportunities on a regular basis and allow applicants to…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-9237: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act
- 119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025
- 119-hr-1262: Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act
- 119-hr-3304: Providing Child Care for Police Officers Act of 2025
- 119-hr-1383: Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2025
- 119-hr-1004: Love Lives On Act of 2025

## Sources
- [119-hr-7978 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7978)

## Related
- [119-hr-9237: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9237)
- [119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3151)
- [119-hr-1262: Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1262)
- [119-hr-3304: Providing Child Care for Police Officers Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3304)
- [119-hr-1383: Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1383)
- [119-hr-1004: Love Lives On Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1004)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7978 (as of 2026-06-26).