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Committee orders GAO review of EPA water technical assistance programs
Summary
The committee approved HR 3427 to direct the Government Accountability Office to review the EPA’s water technical assistance programs and recommend improvements for rural and tribal communities to access water infrastructure funding.
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee adopted and favorably reported HR 3427, the Water Resources Technical Assistance Review Act, which directs the Government Accountability Office to conduct a comprehensive review of the Environmental Protection Agency’s water technical assistance (TA) programs.
Supporters said the GAO review will examine how EPA identifies, selects and partners with technical assistance providers, assess whether TA programs reach economically distressed rural and tribal communities, and recommend improvements so localities can better access federal funding for water infrastructure. Representative (Taylor) said many small communities face bureaucratic delays and lack capacity to apply for federal assistance, and the GAO study will identify gaps and needed reforms.
Representative (Larson) and others emphasized oversight and accountability after large federal investments in clean water programs. Representative (Perry) opposed the program’s existence and suggested GAO may find inefficiencies that justify eliminating it; his amendment to remove a requirement about unmet needs was rejected. The committee adopted the substitute and ordered the bill favorably reported; a subsequent recorded vote on the measure was postponed and later taken with a tally of 61–3 in favor.
