Rep. Boebert Bill Assisting Water Users by Cutting Red Tape Passes House Natural Resources Committee
Today, Congresswoman Lauren Boebert’s Western Water Accelerated Revenue Repayment Act, which allows water users to pay off their water infrastructure debts to the federal government early to be free of burdensome regulations, passed the House Committee on Natural Resources and will advance to the House Floor.
Congresswoman Lauren Boebert (CO-03) stated, “My Western Water Accelerated Revenue Repayment Act passing the House Committee on Natural Resources means we are one step closer to empowering water users to payoff what they owe the federal government early and be free of burdensome regulations. This early repayment will generate hundreds of millions for new water infrastructure and water storage, generate early revenue for the Treasury, and decrease federal paperwork requirements and operating costs for water users. This commonsense bill will permanently benefit water users and agriculture throughout the country.”
House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman (AR-04) said, “This legislation represents Representative Boebert’s and the committee's continued efforts to reduce bureaucratic red tape and streamline federal processes for the benefit of Americans throughout the country. These bills will lead to economic benefits not just in Colorado but for every state that deals with federal land transfers and anyone who has dealt with repaying the federal government for water usage. I look forward to continuing to work with Representative Boebert to get these bills passed through the House.”
Western Caucus Chairman Dan Newhouse (WA-04) stated, “Agriculture and municipal water are vital to communities in the West and throughout the nation, and should be able to prepay what they owe to the federal government for water delivery and water storage costs. This legislation is a common-sense approach that will limit burdensome federal regulations, accelerate Treasury receipts, and raise revenue for the federal government all while saving taxpayers money.”
Congressman Doug Lamborn (CO-05) stated, “I am pleased to join my colleagues in passing commonsense legislation out of committee to allow agricultural and municipal water users to pay off their federal debts faster while generating early revenue for the government. The Western Water Accelerated Revenue Repayment Act allows both the borrower and the government to make more responsible budget plans and offers more flexibility in future decision making.”
Congressman Matt Rosendale (MT-02) said, “Allowing agriculture and municipal water users to prepay for delivery and storage will provide early revenue for the federal government while removing bureaucratic red tape for users. This legislation benefits everyone involved and streamlines the repayment process for those who are able. I’m pleased to see this legislation has passed out of the House Natural Resources Committee, and I thank Congresswoman Boebert for her hard work.”
Congresswoman Harriet Hageman (WY-AL) stated, “This legislation will provide greater flexibility for water users to make payments more quickly, and it will remove the burdensome and lengthy reporting requirements established by the Reclamation Reform Act. It accelerates Treasury receipts while ensuring that obligations for repayment are met, being repaid at present value. Most importantly, this legislation will increase certainty for contractors regarding their long-term water supply - an extremely important concern, as drought conditions worsen in Wyoming and throughout the west.”
Congressman Troy Nehls (TX-22) said, “I commend Congresswoman Boebert for introducing the Western Water Accelerated Revenue Repayment Act earlier this Congress, which will give water users the resources they need to prepay their debts early. I am incredibly proud to see this crucial legislation pass out of the House Natural Resources Committee and look forward to its eventual passage on the House Floor.”
Congressman Paul Gosar (AZ-09) stated, “At a time of rising costs, I am pleased to support Representative Boebert’s common-sense legislation allowing agriculture and municipal water users to prepay their water delivery and storage costs and providing greater flexibility for water users and contract holders.”
Doug Kemper, Executive Director of the Colorado Water Congress said, “On behalf of Colorado’s water community – those entities who ensure the State’s agricultural and municipal water needs are met in an environmentally and fiscally responsible manner, the Colorado Water Congress is very pleased to see a major step forward taken for Rep. Boebert’s Western Water Accelerated Revenue Repayment Act. This positive development shows that Congress is serious about helping our water suppliers navigate through urgent, complex challenges. Having the flexibility to repay financial obligations early is a real benefit. It is good for water users. It is great for the Federal Government. We are grateful for the foresight of the bill sponsors. We urge full passage of the legislation as quickly as possible.”
Chairman Cannon Michael of the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority testified, “The Water Authority fully supports enactment of this bill, which will extend important, win-win authorities that allow water users to accelerate repayment of capital construction costs for Reclamation facilities. We appreciate Congresswoman Boebert for introducing this bill and want to thank all of the cosponsors.”
Mesa County Commissioner Bobbie Daniel stated, “In the Western States, we face significant water resource obstacles. Working together is the only way to find real solutions. In Mesa County, water is our lifeblood, and we owe our gratitude to Representative Boebert’s Western Water Accelerated Revenue Repayment Act. This bill allows prepayment for water delivery and storage costs, benefiting water systems, users, and Mesa County.”
Delta County Commissioner Wendell Koontz said, “This is great news for Western Colorado and Delta County. We appreciate the hard work Representative Boebert has put into the Western Water Repayment Act.”
Dan Keppen, Executive Director of the Family Farm Alliance said, “Accelerated repayment can bring several benefits for Reclamation contractors and the federal government, and we fully support making the pathway to those benefits permanent though enactment of H.R. 3675. Thank you to Rep. Boebert and the other cosponsors for their leadership on this important legislation.”
The National Water Resources Association stated, “The immense water resource challenges in the Western United States require a strong partnership and regular collaboration between the water community and federal agencies. H.R. 3675 expands access to resources water systems can utilize in managing their operations in the most effective and efficient way possible at a time of rising costs and higher interest rates. We applaud its passage out of Committee.”
Jason Phillips, CEO, Friant Water Authority said, “We appreciate the efforts to enact H.R. 3675, the Western Water Accelerated Revenue Repayment Act, providing agriculture and municipal water users the opportunity to voluntarily enter prepayment contracts with the Bureau of Reclamation for their water conveyance and storage costs, while delivering water security to water users and contract holders and contributing revenue to the U.S. Treasury.”
Paul McFadden, Chairman of the California Agricultural Irrigation Association Government Affairs stated, “The California Agricultural Irrigation Association would sincerely like to thank Congresswoman Lauren Boebert for her leadership in assisting western water users and purveyors with a commonsense approach to reduce taxpayers cost through the Western Water Repayment Act.”
Background:
Today, the House Committee on Natural Resources voted 22 to 14 to advance Congresswoman Boebert’s Western Water Accelerated Revenue Repayment Act to the House Floor, where she has a successful record passing legislation that benefits Colorado’s Third District. In the 118th Congress, three of Congresswoman Boebert’s bills and 20 out of 20 of her amendments passed the House. Congresswoman Boebert has also passed four bills through the House Committee on Natural Resources, including the CONVEY Act which also passed the Committee today.
Congresswoman Boebert spoke at the House Committee on Natural Resources regarding her Western Water Accelerated Revenue Repayment Act:
Congresswoman Boebert’s bill permanently authorizes a provision that allows agriculture and municipal water users to prepay what they owe to the federal government. This prepayment adds early revenue to the U.S. Treasury while also decreasing federal paperwork requirements and operating costs for water users.
Specifically, H.R. 3675, the Western Water Accelerated Revenue Repayment Act, permanently authorizes Section 4011 of the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act (P.L. 114-322), a provision that allows agriculture and municipal water users to voluntarily enter prepayment contracts with the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) for water delivery and water storage costs they owe the federal government.
Under federal law, BOR water storage and delivery project costs are allocated to the beneficiaries of such projects. Water users must repay those costs allocated to them under the federal “beneficiaries pay” principal. Those costs are repaid through what are called multi-year “repayment contracts” that are analogous to homeowner mortgage payments. As long as a repayment obligation exists, federal strings are attached (such as onerous paperwork requirements and limitations on how much acreage a farmer can plant).
Prior to 2016, if some water users wanted to repay what they owed early and/or in a lump sum, Congress would have to enact a federal law authorizing the repayment. This usually took years despite the fact the federal government would have been receiving early revenue. As a result, many water users simply decided it wasn’t worth the effort. To help remedy this situation, Section 4011 of the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act (P.L. 114-322) authorized these agricultural and municipal water users to prepay outstanding construction costs through a single lump sum payment or over a period of three years. This policy was similar to allowing a borrower to pay his/her mortgage off earlier to the lender. This prepayment authority expired in 2020.
This program was successful, with 86 contractors deciding to prepay what they owed the federal government, generating $344 million for new water infrastructure and storage in the water storage account.
Chairman Cannon Michael of the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority testified in support of Congresswoman Boebert’s Western Water Accelerated Revenue Repayment Act.
Supporters of Congresswoman Boebert’s Western Water Accelerated Revenue Repayment Act include: Colorado Water Congress, National Water Resources Association, Family Farm Alliance, Friant Water Authority, Florida Water Conservancy District in Durango, Mesa County Farm Bureau, Mesa County Commissioners, San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority, and the California Agricultural Irrigation Association and Delta County Commissioner Wendell A. Koontz.
Cosponsors of Congresswoman Boebert’s Western Water Accelerated Revenue Repayment Act include: Western Caucus Chairman Dan Newhouse (WA-04), Rep. Harriet Hageman (WY-AL), Rep. Paul Gosar (AZ-09), Rep. Michael Lawler (NY-17), Doug Lamborn (CO-05), Rep. Ryan Zinke (MT-01), Rep. Matt Rosendale (MT-02), Tom McClintock (CA-05) and Rep. Troy Nehls (TX-22).
The full text of Congresswoman Boebert’s Western Water Accelerated Revenue Repayment Act is available here.