,,ii #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #ahcg ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,june #ac1 #bjai,mrs4 ,gillibrand introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,environment and ,public ,works ,a ,,bill ,to require the ,administrator of the ,environmental ,protection ,agency to establish a discretionary grant program for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,protecting ,infrastructure and ,promoting the ,economy ,act or the ,,pipe ,act4 #b4 ,drinking water and wastewater infrastructure discretionary grant program 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,administrator ,the term ,administrator means the ,administrator of the ,environmental ,protection ,agency4 7#b7 ,program ,the term program means the drinking water and wastewater infrastructure discretionary grant program established under subsection 7b74 7b7 ,establishment of program ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,administrator shall establish a drinking water and wastewater discretionary grant program to provide grants on a competitive basis to eligible entities for investments in drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects4 7c7 ,eligible entities ,an entity eligible to receive a grant under the program is-- 7#a7 a ,state2 7#b7 a unit of local government2 7#c7 a federally recognized ,indian ,tribe2 or 7#d7 a public or nonprofit water utility4 7d7 ,eligible projects ,a project eligible to be carried out with funds under the program includes-- 7#a7 #a or more activities that are eligible for assistance under section #fjc7;c7 of the ,federal ,water ,pollution ,control ,act 7#cc ,u4,s4,c4 #achc7;c772 7#b7 #a or more activities described in section #adeb7;a77#b7 of the ,safe ,drinking ,water ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cjj;j-#ab7;a77#b772 and 7#c7 any other drinking water infrastructure project or wastewater infrastructure project that the ,administrator determines to appropriate4 7e7 ,application 7#a7 ,in general ,to be eligible to receive a grant under the program1 an eligible entity shall submit to the ,administrator an application in such manner and containing such information as the ,administrator may require4 7#b7 ,bundling of projects ,an eligible entity may include more than #a project in a single application4 7#c7 ,deadline ,an application shall be submitted to the ,administrator not later than #ahj days after the date on which the notice of funding opportunity and the selection criteria are issued under subsection 7f77#a77;,b74 7f7 ,selection 7#a7 ,criteria 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,administrator shall establish criteria in accordance with this subsection to use in selecting projects to receive a grant under the program4 7,b7 ,publication ,not later than #fj days after the date on which funds are made available to carry out the program for each fiscal year1 the ,administrator shall-- 7i7 issue a notice of funding opportunity for the program2 and 7ii7 include in the notice the selection criteria established under subparagraph 7,a74 7#b7 ,priority ,in selecting projects to receive a grant under the program1 the ,administrator shall give priority to projects-- 7,a7 for which a ,federal grant would assist in completing an overall financing package for the project2 and 7,b7 that would help bring-- 7i7 public water systems 7as defined in section #adja of the ,safe ,drinking ,water ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cjj;f77 into compliance with the ,safe ,drinking ,water ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cjj;f et seq472 or 7ii7 publicly owned treatment works 7as defined in section #bab of the ,federal ,water ,pollution ,control ,act 7#cc ,u4,s4,c4 #abib77 into compliance with the ,federal ,water ,pollution ,control ,act 7#cc ,u4,s4,c4 #abea et seq474 7#c7 ,geographical distribution ,for each fiscal year1 in providing grants under the program1 the ,administrator shall ensure that the funds are distributed-- 7,a7 on an equitable geographical basis2 and 7,b7 in a manner that balances the needs of urban1 suburban1 and rural communities4 7#d7 ,deadline ,not later than #a year after the date on which funds are made available to carry out the program for each fiscal year1 the ,administrator shall select projects to receive grants under the program4 7g7 ,requirements 7#a7 ,total ,state limit ,for each fiscal year1 the total amount provided under the program for projects in a single ,state shall not exceed #bj percent of the total amount made available to carry out the program4 7#b7 ,federal share ,the ,federal share of the cost of a project carried out with a grant under the program shall not exceed #ajj percent4 7h7 ,regulations ,the ,administrator may promulgate such regulations as may be necessary to carry out this section4 7i7 ,davis-,bacon 7#a7 ,in general ,notwithstanding any other provision of law1 all laborers and mechanics employed by contractors or subcontractors on projects carried out in whole or in part using a grant under the program shall be paid wages at rates not less than those prevailing on projects of a similar character in the locality as determined by the ,secretary of ,labor in accordance with subchapter ,,iv of chapter #ca of title #dj1 ,united ,states ,code 7commonly known as the ,davis-,bacon ,act74 7#b7 ,authority ,with respect to the labor standards specified in paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary of ,labor shall have the authority and functions set forth in ,reorganization ,plan ,numbered #ad of #aiej 7#fd ,stat4 #abfg2 #e ,u4,s4,c4 ,app47 and section #cade of title #dj1 ,united ,states ,code4 7j7 ,buy ,america ,notwithstanding any other provision of law1 the ,administrator may not provide a grant under the program for a project unless the project meets the requirements described in section #adeb7;a77#d7 of the ,safe ,drinking ,water ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cjj;j-#ab7;a77#d774 7k7 ,reports ,not later than #b years after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,administrator shall submit to ,congress and make publicly available a report on the implementation of the program4 7l7 ,funding 7#a7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section #ejj1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbj through #bjbi4 7#b7 ,availability ,funds made available to carry out this section shall be available until expended4