,,ii #aahth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #chcj ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,february #bh1 #bjbd,mr4 ,padilla introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions ,a ,,bill ,to authorize the ,low-,income ,household ,water ,assistance ,program1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,low-,income ,household ,water ,assistance ,program ,establishment ,act4 #b4 ,low-,income ,household ,water ,assistance ,program 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,administrator ,the term ,administrator means the ,administrator of the ,environmental ,protection ,agency4 7#b7 ,household ,the term household means any individual or group of individuals who are living together as #a economic unit4 7#c7 ,low-income household ,the term low-income household means a household-- 7,a7 in which #a or more individuals are receiving-- 7i7 assistance under the ,state program funded under part ,a of title ,,iv of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #fja et seq472 7ii7 supplemental security income payments under title ,,xvi of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acha et seq472 7iii7 supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits under the ,food and ,nutrition ,act of #bjjh 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #bjaa et seq472 7iv7 payments under-- 7,i7 section #acae1 #aeba1 #aeda1 or #aedb of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code2 or 7,,ii7 section #cjf of the ,veterans' and ,survivors' ,pension ,improvement ,act of #aigh 7#ch ,u4,s4,c4 #aeba note2 ,public ,law #ie-ehh72 or 7v7 assistance under the ,low-,income ,home ,energy ,assistance ,act of #aiha2 or 7,b7 that has a household income that1 as determined by the ,state or ,indian tribe1 does not exceed the greater of-- 7i7 an amount equal to #aej percent of the poverty level2 7ii7 an amount equal to #fj percent of the ,state median income for that ,state or the ,state in which the ,indian tribe is primarily located2 or 7iii7 an amount equal to #fj percent of the area median income for the area in which the household is located4 7#d7 ,poverty level ,the term poverty level means the poverty line determined pursuant to section #fgc of the ,community ,services ,block ,grant ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #iijb74 7#e7 ,public water system ,the term public water system has the meaning given the term in section #adja of the ,safe ,drinking ,water ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cjj;f74 7#f7 ,qualified nonprofit organization ,the term qualified nonprofit organization includes a nonprofit organization described in section #fhj7;a77#c77;,b7 of the ,community ,services ,block ,grant ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #iiba7;a77#c77;,b774 7#g7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services4 7#h7 ,state ,the term ,state means any of the #ej ,states1 the ,district of ,columbia1 the ,commonwealth of ,puerto ,rico1 ,guam1 the ,united ,states ,virgin ,islands1 ,american ,samoa1 and the ,commonwealth of the ,northern ,mariana ,islands4 7#i7 ,treatment works ,the term treatment works has the meaning given the term in section #bab of the ,federal ,water ,pollution ,control ,act 7#cc ,u4,s4,c4 #abib74 7b7 ,establishment 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary1 in consultation with the ,administrator1 shall establish the ,low-,income ,household ,water ,assistance ,program to award grants1 in accordance with paragraph 7#c71 to eligible entities described in paragraph 7#b7 to provide funds to owners and operators of public water systems or treatment works to assist low-income households in paying arrearages and other rates charged to such households for drinking water or wastewater services4 7#b7 ,eligible entities ,an eligible entity described in this paragraph is a ,state1 or ,indian tribe1 that is eligible to receive or previously received a grant under the ,low-,income ,home ,energy ,assistance ,act of #aiha 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #hfba et seq474 7#c7 ,formula ,in awarding grants under this subsection to eligible entities1 the ,secretary shall-- 7,a7 allot amounts made available for grants under this subsection to an eligible entity that is a ,state or ,indian tribe based on-- 7i7 the percentage of households in the ,state1 or under the jurisdiction of the ,indian tribe1 with income equal to or less than #aej percent of the poverty level2 or 7ii7 the percentage of households in the ,state1 or under the jurisdiction of the ,indian tribe1 that spend more than #cj percent of monthly income on housing2 and 7,b7 reserve up to #c percent of amounts made available for grants under this subsection to eligible entities that are ,indian tribes4 7c7 ,rural1 underserved1 and ,indian ,tribe access grants ,the ,secretary shall provide grants to qualified nonprofit organizations to assist owners or operators of public water systems or treatment works1 in rural or underserved areas or in the jurisdiction of an ,indian tribe1 in accessing funds through the ,low-,income ,household ,water ,assistance ,program4 7d7 ,applications ,each eligible entity seeking a grant under subsection 7b7 shall submit an application to the ,secretary at such time1 in such manner1 and containing such information as the ,secretary shall require4 7e7 ,limitations ,a recipient of a grant under subsection 7b7 or 7c7-- 7#a7 shall not use the funds from the grant to supplant any other funds for any program that assists low-income households in maintaining access to affordable drinking water or wastewater services2 and 7#b7 may use the funds from the grant to supplement or otherwise enhance any such program that satisfies the requirements under this section4 7f7 ,technical assistance for eligibility requirements ,the ,secretary shall provide technical assistance to eligible entities receiving a grant under subsection 7b7 for such eligible entities to establish data sharing agreements to streamline categorical eligibility requirements for low-income households4 7g7 ,transfer to the ,environmental ,protection ,agency 7#a7 ,in general ,on the date on which the final report described in section #ejaji7;d7 of the ,infrastructure ,investment and ,jobs ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cjj;j-#ai;a note2 ,public ,law #aag-eh2 #ace ,stat4 #aadh7 is submitted to ,congress under such section1 the ,secretary1 in coordination with the ,administrator1 shall transfer the ,low-,income ,household ,water ,assistance ,program established under this section to the ,environmental ,protection ,agency for administration of such program by the ,administrator in accordance with this section4 7#b7 ,administration 7,a7 ,in general ,beginning on the date described in paragraph 7#a7-- 7i7 the ,administrator shall carry out all functions of the ,secretary under this section2 and 7ii7 for purposes of administering the program established under this section1 each reference in subsections 7b77#c71 7c71 7d71 and 7f7 to the ,secretary shall be deemed a reference to the ,administrator4 7,b7 ,grants previously awarded ,notwithstanding paragraph 7#a7 and subparagraph 7,a71 the ,secretary shall continue1 after the transfer under paragraph 7#a71 administering each grant awarded under this section prior to such transfer until the expiration of the term of such grant4 7#c7 ,unobligated balances ,on the date described in paragraph 7#a7 and subject to section #aeca of title #ca1 ,united ,states ,code1 the ,secretary shall initiate transfer of all unobligated balances of appropriations1 authorizations1 allocations1 or other funds available to the ,low-,income ,household ,water ,assistance ,program established under this section 7except for any such balances related to grants awarded prior to the transfer under paragraph 7#a77 to the ,administrator4 ,the amounts of any such unobligated balances so transferred shall be used only for the purposes for which the amounts were originally authorized and appropriated4 7h7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section4