Congress·In Progress·H.R. 6422

Rep. Stauber Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Protect Great Lakes and Major U.S. Waterways Through 2031

American Water Stewardship Act

3 months ago·View on Congress.gov

Legislative Progress

House

Senate

President

Law

Key Points

This bill keeps funding going for major environmental projects in the Great Lakes, Long Island Sound, Columbia River, and San Francisco Bay. These programs help clean up pollution, restore wildlife habitats, and manage water quality in these massive regions through the year 2031.
It updates rules for beach safety by allowing local governments to use federal grants to find the exact sources of water pollution. It also expands the definition of coastal waters to include river mouths and shallow areas, ensuring more places where people swim are monitored for dangerous bacteria.
The plan adds the Mississippi Sound to the National Estuary Program, which helps protect coastal areas where freshwater and saltwater mix. However, it sets strict rules that this new addition cannot take away money from existing programs unless the overall budget for these projects increases significantly.
To ensure tax dollars are used wisely, the bill requires a non-partisan government watchdog to investigate how these water programs are managed. This report will look for ways to make the programs more efficient, check if they are actually meeting their goals, and ensure there is no double-spending or waste.
The bill includes a security rule that prevents any of this water restoration money from going to companies or groups owned by or partnered with foreign adversaries. This is meant to keep sensitive environmental data and federal funding out of the hands of countries that may be hostile to the United States.

Energy Environment

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

Who is affectedScoreImpactCertaintyScopeDurationSentiment

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

State Impacts

StateScoreImpactCertaintyScopeDurationSentiment

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Milestones

4 milestones6 actions

Dec 18, 2025House

Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.

Dec 18, 2025House

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

Dec 18, 2025House

Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment Discharged

Dec 5, 2025House

Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.

Dec 4, 2025House

Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

About 2 years after enactment

GAO report on EPA geographic program performance due within 2 years of enactment

The public and Congress would get an independent assessment of whether these water programs are spending money efficiently and actually meeting their cleanup goals, which could lead to future improvements or funding changes.

Related News

3 articles

ECO Magazine·3 months ago

US Legislation Introduced to Ensure Water Quality in the Great Lakes Region and Throughout the US

Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08) and Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI-08) introduced the American Water Stewardship Act, bipartisan legislation to reauthorize funding for several long-standing programs to maintain and improve water quality throughout the nation, including the GLRI and BEACH Act.

Sun Herald·3 months ago

Mississippi Sound could join National Estuary Program under new federal bill

The American Water Stewardship Act, recently advanced by a House committee, includes a provision to add the Mississippi Sound to the National Estuary Program. The move would provide federal resources for habitat restoration and water quality management in the Sound through 2031.

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Star Tribune·3 months ago

Bipartisan water bill aims to modernize beach safety and pollution tracking

Introduced by Rep. Pete Stauber, the American Water Stewardship Act would update the BEACH Act to allow local governments to use federal grants to identify specific sources of water pollution, moving beyond simple monitoring to active mitigation of bacteria and contaminants.