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LEADER JEFFRIES: “WE’RE FIGHTING FOR HEALTHCARE NOT WARFARE”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)

Know Your Immigration Rights

If you or a loved one encounter immigration enforcement officials, it is essential that you know your rights and have prepared your household for all possible outcomes.

Ask for a warrant: The Fourth Amendment of the Constitution protects you from unreasonable search and seizure. You do not have to open your door until you see a valid warrant to enter your home or search your belongings.

Your right to remain silent: The Fifth Amendment protects your right to remain silent and not incriminate yourself. You are not required to share any personal information such as your place of birth, immigration status or criminal history.

Always consult an attorney: You have a right to speak with an attorney. You do not have to sign anything or hand officials any documents without speaking to an attorney. Try to identify and consult one in advance.

The New York City Office of Civil Justice and the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) support a variety of free immigration legal services through local nonprofit legal organizations. To access these resources, dial 311 and say “Action NYC,” call the MOIA Immigration Legal Support Hotline at 800-354-0365 Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. or visit MOIA’s website.

Learn more here: KNOW YOUR IMMIGRATION RIGHTS  – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries

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THOMPSON ANNOUNCES 2026 YOLO COUNTY WOMAN OF THE YEAR

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mike Thompson Representing the 5th District of CALIFORNIA

Yolo County, CA – On Sunday, Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-04) announced that Marisa Alcorta was chosen as the 2026 Yolo County Woman of the Year. Each year, Rep. Thompson chooses women from California’s Fourth Congressional District to honor for their positive contributions to our community.

“Marisa has played a leading role in strengthening agricultural education and workforce development in Yolo County. At the Center for Land-Based Learning, she developed and expanded programs that prepare agricultural employees for leadership and management roles on farms and ranches. She designed the AgHiRE workforce development program and founded California’s first registered agricultural apprenticeship program to help build stronger career pathways while supporting the long-term succession of farms and agricultural businesses in our region. Her passion, leadership, and determination have profoundly impacted our Yolo County community. I am proud to recognize Marisa as Yolo County’s Woman of the Year,” said Thompson.

Click here to read Rep. Thompson’s full statement submitted to the Congressional Record in honor of Marisa.

BACKGROUND

The Woman of the Year Recognition Ceremony was started in honor of Women’s History Month to recognize the service of women in our community.

Women’s History Month has its origin in California’s Fourth District. In 1978, the Education Task Force of the Sonoma County Commission on the Status of Women coordinated a “Woman’s History Week” during the week of March 8th to correspond with International Women’s Day. In 1980, a group of Sonoma County women founded the National Women’s History Project (NWHP) in Santa Rosa, California. The goal of this organization was to highlight and recognize the historical national achievements made by women. 

In partnership with other women advocacy groups and historians, the NWHP successfully lobbied for national recognition in 1980, with President Jimmy Carter declaring the week of March 8th as National Women’s History Week. After this accomplishment, the NWHP began advocating for the entire month of March to be designated as Women’s History Month. Seven years later, Congress officially passed legislation designating the entire month of March as Women’s History Month. Every year since, Women’s History Month has been recognized in March to uplift and celebrate the incredible contributions and accomplishments of American women.

A complete list of 2026 winners includes:

  • Voris Brumfield Reed – Lake County Woman of the Year
  • Leslie Lew – Napa County Woman of the Year
  • Margi Stern – Solano County Woman of the Year
  • Maricarmen Reyes Larios – Sonoma County Woman of the Year
  • Marisa Alcorta – Yolo County Woman of the Year
     
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Huffman, 52 House Democrats Call on Appropriators to Defund Trump’s Censorship of American History at National Parks

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Huffman Representing the 2nd District of California

March 19, 2026

Washington, D.C. – Today, Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) led 52 other House Democrats in calling on House appropriators to block funding for Secretarial Order 3431, the Trump administration directive that has led to the removal of historical exhibits and educational materials about slavery, Indigenous peoples, and climate change from national parks and public lands across America.

In a letter to Chair Mike Simpson and Ranking Member Chellie Pingree of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, the members urged inclusion of language in the FY 2027 spending bill that would prohibit the use of any funds to implement, administer, or enforce the order, titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.”

“The order has led to the arbitrary flagging of thousands of interpretive signage and educational materials across public lands and historic sites and resulted in the alteration, and in some cases removal of historic exhibits across the National Park System and other Interior-managed sites,” the members write.

The letter warns that the administration is “bypassing consultation with Tribal Nations and descendant communities and ignoring professional standards around historical interpretation.” The members point to a growing pattern of political censorship stretching “from Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia to Muir Woods in California.”

“True patriotism requires honest engagement with both our moments of achievement and those of moral failure,” the members write. “Sanitizing history undermines efforts to ensure that all Americans can see themselves reflected in these shared places.”

The members also note that the directive’s reach extends well beyond the park system: “Federal pressure to ‘restore truth and sanity’ to American history has already begun to have a chilling effect on historic preservation efforts nationwide, as states, localities, and cultural institutions fear censorship and retribution from the administration.”

Read the full letter HERE.

Background

Today’s letter is the latest action in a sustained campaign by Natural Resources Committee Democrats to hold the administration accountable for censoring American history. In August 2025, Huffman led 12 colleagues in a letter warning that the administration’s executive and secretarial orders were leading to the attempted erasure of historical content across the National Park System. In September 2025, Huffman grilled NPS officials at a committee hearing, calling the removal of slavery-related content “pure propaganda” and “un-American.” In January 2026, Committee Democrats sent a formal oversight letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum demanding answers about the systematic removal of exhibits on slavery and climate change from parks nationwide. Burgum has failed to respond to any of these inquiries. In February 2026, Committee Democrats ran a hearing about Freedom 250’s role in the whitewashing of history.

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Congressman Bishop on the Resignation of GA. Sen. Powell Sims

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Sanford D Bishop Jr (GA-02)

ALBANY, Ga. – Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) issued the following statement in response to the news of Georgia State Senator Freddie Powell Sims’s decision to resign her seat to care for her husband, Norman, during this time of serious illness:

“State Senator Freddie Powell Sims has been more than a lawmaker — she has been a tireless advocate, a compassionate leader, and a friend of longstanding whose decades of service have left an indelible mark on communities across Georgia’s 12th Senatorial District.

“She has been a champion of education and healthcare and fought for economic opportunity and criminal justice reform. These reflect her steadfast belief that public service is about lifting people up and standing with those in need. Her integrity, warmth, and fierce commitment to her constituents have earned her the respect of colleagues and neighbors alike.

“My heart goes out to Senator Sims, Norman, and their family. I appreciate how demanding and all-consuming the role of caregiver can be, and I admire her courage in taking this step in support of her husband’s care.

“As a family man and public servant, I understand the pain families endure when a loved one faces serious illness, and I offer my deepest prayers for comfort, strength, and healing for the Sims family.

“I also want to thank Senator Sims for her many years of faithful service. Her leadership has made Georgia stronger, and her voice will be deeply missed in the State Senate.”

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Rep. Craig Helps Introduce Legislation to Rein in ICE and Restore SNAP Benefits

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Angie Craig (MN-02)

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Representative and Ranking Member of the House Agriculture Committee Angie Craig announced legislation that would rein in President Trump’s out of control Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and ensure families are able to put food on the table.

The Feeding Families Not Fear Act would rescind the $75 billion dollar handout to ICE Congressional Republicans enacted through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) and reverse their historic cuts to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

“Trump’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill Act’ was a slap in the face to Minnesotans,” said Rep. Craig. “As if cutting nearly $200 billion in SNAP food assistance wasn’t cruel enough, Republicans used this bill to write a $75 billion blank check to Trump’s mass deportation machine, which he has used to terrorize our communities. That’s why I’m supporting this critical bill to claw back funding for ICE, restore SNAP food assistance and put working Minnesotans first.”

As the top Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee, Rep. Craig has been at the forefront of the fight to protect SNAP and ensure Minnesota’s kids, seniors, veterans and people with disabilities can put food on the table. Last summer, while the House was debating the OBBBA, she led a two-day markup during which she and her Democratic colleagues offered amendments to stop cuts to food assistance, while Republicans were largely absent or silent. She also testified against the bill’s SNAP cuts before the House Committee on Rules during an overnight hearing that lasted more than 21 hours.

In January, Rep. Craig introduced her Farm and Family Relief Act – a response to President Trump’s crushing tariffs and massive unfunded mandate to states through a cost-shift in SNAP. 

You can see a full timeline of Rep. Craig’s efforts to protect SNAP during OBBA negotiations here.

Rep. Craig has also repeatedly called out ICE’s lawless tactics and taken steps to hold the Trump Administration accountable for its reckless immigration operations in Minnesota. She helped lead articles of impeachment against DHS Secretary Kristi Noem in the House and has repeatedly voted against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) appropriations bill providing funding for ICE. Rep. Craig has also conducted three oversight visits at the ICE detention center at the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis and followed up with ICE officials about what she saw during her visit.

The Feeding Families Not Fear Act was originally introduced by Reps. Shontel Brown (OH-11) and Jim McGovern (MA-02).

You can read the full text of the Feeding Families Not Fear Acthere.

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Ranking Member Huffman Opposes GOP Bill to Block Lead Protections on Public Lands: “Our Public Lands Belong to the American People, Not the NRA”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Huffman Representing the 2nd District of California

March 18, 2026

Washington, D.C. — Today, House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) took to the House Floor to oppose H.R. 556, Republican and NRA-backed legislation that would block federal land managers from restricting lead ammunition and fishing tackle on public lands and waters, even when science shows lead is killing wildlife.

“We are on day 19 of Trump’s illegal war of choice with Iran. 13 American service members so far are dead, 200 more are wounded. Gas prices have surged $0.80 a gallon just in the last three weeks. Grocery bills climbing, oil over $100 a barrel. The Strait of Hormuz is effectively closed. So, what is it in the face of this chaos and calamity that the United States House of Representatives has chosen to do this week? Debate a bill about lead ammunition in our nation’s wildlife refuges,” Ranking Member Huffman said on the House Floor.

“Now, we banned lead from gasoline, we banned it from paint, we banned it from children’s toys. We did that because lead is a known lethal neurotoxin that never breaks down. That same lead, in the form of spent ammunition or lost fishing tackle, can kill wildlife, and it does so on our public lands and waters right now, in some cases at levels that are far too high. Now, Republicans are proposing a bill that would make this a lot worse.”

On the bill’s impact on hunters and anglers, Ranking Member Huffman added, “Even under this administration, the Trump administration, the Fish and Wildlife Service issued targeted lead restrictions in eight refuges specifically to open new hunting and fishing opportunities near sensitive Endangered Species Act listed wildlife species. But if this bill is enacted, the Fish and Wildlife Service would have to close those sensitive areas for hunting and fishing entirely to comply with the ESA. And that’s going to leave hunters and anglers with fewer places to fish and hunt.”

Ranking Member Huffman continued, “Proponents of this bill often claim that banning lead will price out hunters and anglers. But the data tells a very different story. An analysis of 86 different bullet calibers and cartridge sizes found no significant price difference between lead-free and lead core ammunition in popular calibers. Switching to non-lead tackle can add less than 1% to the average angler’s total annual costs.”

“Our public lands belong to the American people, not to the NRA and the gun lobby. H.R. 556 imposes a federal mandate to allow the spread of a known lethal toxin across our nation’s wildlife refuges, across waterways and the habitats that our children will inherit. We must reject this bill and let public land managers make the tough calls and do their job.”

Background

H.R. 556 would bar federal land managers from restricting lead ammunition or fishing tackle on public lands and waters. To act, agencies would need to prove through site-specific field data that a species decline is “primarily caused” by lead — a standard designed to be impossible to meet. The bill would also undermine existing lead protections in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and California, and conflicts with the Endangered Species Act and a 2022 settlement governing hunting and fishing in the National Wildlife Refuge System.

Lead poisoning has been documented in over 130 species, including bald eagles, California condors, and common loons. The Fish and Wildlife Service currently maintains targeted lead restrictions in a handful of refuges specifically to keep hunting and fishing opportunities open near ESA-listed species; if H.R. 556 passes, those areas would have to close entirely. When the federal government phased out lead shot for duck hunting in 1991, the gun lobby predicted the end of the sport. Waterfowl populations rebounded instead, and hunters gained more birds and more places to hunt.

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Huffman Blasts $40 Million in Taxpayer Funds for Illegal Shasta Dam Raise

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Huffman Representing the 2nd District of California

March 18, 2026

Washington, D.C. – Today, Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) issued the following statement after the Department of the Interior announced $40 million in taxpayer funds for planning and preconstruction activities to raise Shasta Dam.

“The proposal to raise Shasta Dam is a stubbornly unlawful, wasteful, and destructive boondoggle that refuses to die, and it is past time we bury it for good. It is illegal under California law. Raising Shasta Dam has been blocked by state courts, opposed by California’s Attorney General, and killed in Congress before.

“Republicans keep resurrecting this zombie project for one and only one reason: because the Westlands Water District — one of the most politically powerful players in Western water — wants it. And the Republican budget bill threw out the longstanding rule that water districts have to help pay for projects they benefit from, meaning taxpayers will end up getting stuck with a nearly $2 billion bill if the project moves forward. So much for fiscal responsibility.

“While Republicans hand out favors to well-connected agricultural interests, the people who pay the price are the Winnemem Wintu Tribe. Shasta Dam already drowned their homeland, their villages, and their sacred sites. Now this administration wants to flood even more of what the Tribe has left.

“Republicans love to talk about government waste. Here it is: $40 million for a project that violates state law, benefits heavily subsidized special interests unwilling to foot even part of the bill, and destroys ancestral lands and native salmon. I will keep fighting to stop it.”

Background

The Bureau of Reclamation’s proposal would raise Shasta Dam by 18.5 feet at an estimated cost of $1.8 billion. The project is illegal under California’s Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, which protects the McCloud River that would be flooded by the project. Trump and Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBA) provided $1 billion to the Bureau for surface water storage projects with all cost-sharing and reimbursement requirements eliminated, a break from more than a century of reclamation law. Today’s announcement directs $40 million of those funds toward planning and preconstruction for the raise.

The original construction of Shasta Dam flooded the homeland of the Winnemem Wintu Tribe. A dam raise would flood additional village sites, sacred ceremony grounds, and land needed for an ongoing state-federal effort to reintroduce endangered Chinook salmon to the McCloud River, an effort the Tribe has led in partnership with state and federal wildlife agencies since 2023.

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Soto Statement on 16th Anniversary of Affordable Care Act Signing

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Darren Soto (D-FL)

On March 23, 2010, President Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law, giving millions of Americans access to quality, affordable healthcare

KISSIMMEE, FL — Today, Congressman Darren Soto (FL-09) released the following statement on the 16th anniversary of the signing of the Affordable Care Act by President Barack Obama: 

“Sixteen years ago today, President Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law, giving millions of Americans access to quality, affordable healthcare. In Florida’s Ninth Congressional District, over 275,000 constituents are enrolled, the second-most in the nation,” said Rep. Soto. “Through the addition of the Premium Tax Credit, millions saw their insurance premiums lowered by thousands of dollars per year. However, Republicans’ refusal to extend the credit has caused the American people to see their healthcare costs skyrocket, and many have been forced to go without coverage as a result. House Democrats were able to garner bipartisan support to pass a three-year extension, but the Senate has failed to act for months as families continue struggling to make ends meet.” 

During the day, Rep. Soto held meetings with constituents whose lives have been changed thanks to Obamacare, as well as healthcare providers in Central Florida who are seeing the effects of price hikes firsthand. 

“As a small business owner, I couldn’t afford health insurance on my own. The Affordable Care Act changed that,” said Max Gebhardt, a FL-09 constituent. “When I needed a liver transplant, having that coverage meant I actually had a fighting chance. Honestly, I don’t know where I’d be without it.”
 

Click here for a video of Rep. Soto with Max’s father, John Gebhardt. 

“The Affordable Care Act has been critical in ensuring more Floridians can access care when they need it. From a hospital perspective, maintaining coverage and affordability isn’t just policy—it directly impacts whether patients come in early for treatment or delay care until it becomes an emergency,” said HCA Florida Osceola Hospital Chief Executive Officer David Shimp. “Preserving and strengthening coverage options is essential to improving health outcomes and keeping our communities healthy.”

In FL-09, data shows that: 

Nationally, new data shows that:

  • By ending the ACA Premium Tax Credit, Republicans doubled and tripled premiums for over 20 million Americans
  • 1/3 of Americans who buy healthcare on their own have been forced to reduce their coverage
  • Marketplace enrollment is already down by 1 million

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Congresswoman Schrier Presses Trump Administration for Answers on Deteriorating Forest Service Trail Conditions

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08)

Conditions Come as U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Struggles with Insufficient Staffing and Budget Cuts

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswomen Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08), and Andrea Salinas (OR-06) led 21 of their colleagues in demanding answers from the Trump Administration on deteriorating Forest Service trail conditions due to insufficient maintenance by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), which has threatened visitor safety and outdoor recreation access for millions of Americans. 

“We write with serious concern that, despite your stated intent to prioritize outdoor access and improve visitor experiences, the USFS trail maintenance operations have been hamstrung by layoffs, hiring restrictions, budget cuts and other policies that make it harder for staff to do their jobs and meet agency objectives,” the letter states.

The letter continues, “The USFS manages over 164,000 miles of trails, more than any other land management agency. Americans cherish the USFS trail network, which serves 84 million visitors annually. Public lands recreation contributes $128 billion to our national economy. Despite the clear value of trails and the agency’s stated focus on outdoor access, conditions on the ground are deteriorating.”

“A December 2025 Trail Program Status Report details that trail maintenance suffered dramatically in 2025. Total miles of USFS trails maintained in 2025 fell by 22%. Neglecting our recreational assets increases the long-term costs of maintaining these facilities,” the letter continues.

In response to this drop, the letter calls on USFS leadership to answer specific questions on their plan to address the deterioration in outdoor access and better maintain trails this year. To read the full letter, click here. 

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WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: Rep. Stevens Champions Bipartisan Bill to Improve Wastewater Treatment and Protect Clean Water

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Haley Stevens (MI-11)

Washington, D.C. – In case you missed it, Michigan Congresswoman Haley Stevens introduced the Advanced Wastewater Treatment Assistance Act, legislation to help communities upgrade wastewater systems, address emerging contaminants like PFAS, and keep water bills affordable.

Here’s what Michiganders are seeing and reading about Rep. Haley Stevens’ work to strengthen wastewater infrastructure and support clean and affordable water access:

Michigan Advance: Stevens and bipartisan Congressional PFAS Task Force chair aim to help upgrade wastewater treatment

By: Kyle Davidson

  • Stevens’ and Fitzpatrick’s Advanced Wastewater Treatment Assistance Act would create a five-year federal grant program to help water utilities install the advanced water treatment technologies needed to remove difficult pollutants, while also protecting against harmful algal blooms.
  • “Clean water is essential for our health, our economy, and the future of the Great Lakes,” Stevens said in a statement. “Michigan knows all too well the impact of contaminants like PFAS on our communities. This legislation will help utilities deploy next-generation wastewater treatment technologies, modernize infrastructure, and keep water safe and affordable.
  • If passed, the Advanced Wastewater Treatment Assistance Act would authorize $1 billion in funds over five years for advanced wastewater treatment projects, covering up to 50% of the cost for projects across the nation. It would also direct at least 49% of that funding to communities without the resources to replace the infrastructure on their own and waive their cost-share requirements. Administrative costs would be capped at 1% for the EPA and states who participate in the grant program.

FOX17: Lawmakers propose $1B water infrastructure bill, could it help with PFAS in Cascade Township?

By: Cassandra Alonso

  • The bill called the Advanced Wastewater Treatment Assistance Act, was introduced March 19 by Michigan Democratic Congresswoman Haley Stevens and Pennsylvania Republican Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, who co-chair the bipartisan Congressional PFAS Task Force.
  • Stevens said Michigan cannot address the crisis without federal support.”We know in Michigan our pride is our water and our stewardship of the freshwater assets in the Great Lakes,” Stevens said. “We also need to do cleanup.”
  • “We can’t go it alone, and we need federal partnerships,” she added.
  • Stevens said the bill is designed with equity in mind.”We want to make sure that disadvantaged places can get a leg up, that they don’t just have to pay for the mistakes of others,” she said.
  • For neighbors concerned about rising water bills, Stevens said covering a significant share of project costs could provide relief.
  • “If it’s to tackle the grocery bill and lower the cost of food, if it’s efforts that I’ve just introduced to lower energy bills, and in this instance, freeing up some of those fixed costs could absolutely lead to something along those lines,” Stevens said. “I want to save Michigan taxpayers money, and I want to utilize the federal government to meet a need right here in our state.”
  • Stevens said she hopes Cascade Township takes advantage of the funding if the bill passes.”We’d love to see Cascade Township apply for these dollars, and this is a bill that saves the taxpayers,” she said.

MLive: $1B in wastewater grants to treat PFAS proposed in Congress

By: Garret Ellison

  • Stevens, a Michigan Democrat, rolled out the proposal last week with U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa. The Advanced Wastewater Treatment Assistance Act of 2026 would direct the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to create a grant program for states to support eligible wastewater treatment upgrades.
  • According to the bill, eligible projects would generally have to cover at least half of their costs with non-federal money. That requirement would not apply to projects serving disadvantaged communities.
  • The legislation also would require about half the funding go to disadvantaged communities or certain rural, small, tribal or regional public systems that benefit them.

Smart Water Magazine: Advanced wastewater treatment technologies at heart of proposed U.S. water funding bill

By: Cristina Novo

  • A new bipartisan bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives aims to modernise wastewater treatment systems nationwide by establishing a five-year federal grant programme worth $1 billion. The Advanced Wastewater Treatment Assistance Act of 2026, sponsored by Representatives Haley Stevens (D-MI) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), would cover up to 50% of project costs for eligible water utilities deploying technologies such as granular activated carbon and reverse osmosis — methods proven to eliminate persistent pollutants including PFAS compounds.
  • A notable equity provision directs at least 49% of funding toward financially disadvantaged communities, waiving cost-share requirements for those recipients. Administrative costs would be capped at 1% for both the EPA and participating states.
  • The bill also mandates a comprehensive independent study on the effectiveness of advanced treatment technologies in removing emerging contaminants. Notably, the legislation directs the EPA to engage the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine — in consultation with the National Institute of Standards and Technology — to carry out the research, lending it significant scientific authority. The scope extends beyond PFAS to include nanomaterials, reflecting growing concern about a broader class of poorly understood pollutants.

Innovation News Network: Bipartisan bill targets PFAS and infrastructure gaps in US wastewater treatment

By: Jack Thomas

  • The growing need to address PFAS contamination has placed a significant financial strain on utilities. Advanced treatment methods capable of removing these compounds, such as granular activated carbon and reverse osmosis, require substantial capital investment and operational costs. In states like Michigan, the financial burden is already evident. Federal estimates indicate that required wastewater infrastructure improvements reached approximately $181m in 2022, underscoring the scale of the challenge.
  • The proposal reflects increasing federal attention to water quality and infrastructure resilience. PFAS contamination, in particular, has emerged as a priority issue for regulators and policymakers due to its widespread presence and resistance to conventional treatment processes.

Wastewater Digest: Bipartisan bill targets funding for advanced wastewater treatment and PFAS removal

  • U.S. Reps. Haley Stevens and Brian Fitzpatrick have introduced the bipartisan Advanced Wastewater Treatment Assistance Act, aimed at helping utilities upgrade infrastructure, address emerging contaminants such as PFAS and maintain affordability for ratepayers.
  • “Clean water is essential for our health, our economy, and the future of the Great Lakes,”
  • “Michigan knows all too well the impact of contaminants like PFAS on our communities. This legislation will help utilities deploy next-generation wastewater treatment technologies, modernize infrastructure, and keep water safe and affordable.”

WOOD: Stevens introduces bipartisan bill to fund wastewater projects, address PFAS contamination

By: Matt Jaworowski

  • U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Michigan, has introduced a new bill aimed at upgrading wastewater systems and addressing PFAS contamination.
  • The bill, known as the Advanced Wastewater Treatment Assistance Act, was introduced Monday with bipartisan support. U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pennsylvania, was the other lead legislator.
  • Stevens called clean water “essential” for the health of all Americans and the American economy.
  • “Michigan knows all too well the impact of contaminants like PFAS on our communities. This legislation will help utilities deploy next-generation wastewater treatment technologies, modernize infrastructure, and keep water safe and affordable,” Stevens said in a statement.
  • The Environmental Working Group says there are now more than 9,500 confirmed PFAS-contaminated sites across the United States, including at least one in all 50 states, Washington D.C. and two American territories. MPART is tracking 379 confirmed contamination sites or areas of interest in Michigan.

WDET

  • Michigan Congresswoman Haley Stevens and Representative Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania have introduced the Bipartisan Advanced Wastewater Treatment Assistance Act in Congress.
  • It helps communities upgrade wastewater systems to address PFAS and other contaminants. Stevens says clean water is essential for our health and for the future of the Great Lakes. An EPA study says as of 2022, Michigan needed an estimated $181 million for improvements.
  • If passed, the legislation creates a $1 billion budget for a five-year federal grant program to help water utilities treat water for contaminants. That would cover 50% of the project costs. It would also allocate 49% of funding to communities without financial assistance, with 1% of EPA and admin costs.

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