,,ii #aahth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #gjb ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,march #h1 #bjbc ,ms4 ,sinema 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,cornyn1 and ,mr4 ,kelly7 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 ,agency1 the ,secretary of the ,interior1 and the ,secretary of ,agriculture to maintain the ,urban ,waters ,federal ,partnership ,program1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,urban ,waters ,federal ,partnership ,act of #bjbc4 #b4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,administrator ,the term ,administrator means the ,administrator of the ,environmental ,protection ,agency4 7#b7 ,member agencies ,the term member agencies means each of-- 7,a7 the ,environmental ,protection ,agency2 7,b7 the ,department of the ,interior2 7,c7 the ,department of ,agriculture2 7,d7 the ,corps of ,engineers2 7,e7 the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration2 7,f7 the ,economic ,development ,administration2 7,g7 the ,department of ,housing and ,urban ,development2 7,h7 the ,department of ,transportation2 7,i7 the ,department of ,energy2 7,j7 the ,department of ,education2 7,k7 the ,national ,institute for ,environmental ,health ,sciences2 7,l7 the ,community ,development ,financial ,institutions ,fund2 7,m7 the ,federal ,emergency ,management ,agency2 7,n7 the ,corporation for ,national and ,community ,service2 and 7,o7 such other agencies1 departments1 and bureaus that elect to participate in the ,urban ,waters program as the missions1 authorities1 and appropriated funding of those agencies1 departments1 and bureaus allow4 7#c7 ,secretaries ,the term ,secretaries means the ,secretary of the ,interior and the ,secretary of ,agriculture4 7#d7 ,urban ,waters ambassador ,the term ,urban ,waters ambassador means a person who-- 7,a7 is locally based near the applicable ,urban ,waters partnership location2 and 7,b7 serves in a central coordinating role for the work carried out in the applicable ,urban ,waters partnership location with respect to the ,urban ,waters program4 7#e7 ,urban ,waters nonpartnership location ,the term ,urban ,waters nonpartnership location means an urban or municipal site and the associated watershed or waterbody of the site-- 7,a7 that receives ,federal support for activities that advance the purpose of the ,urban ,waters program2 but 7,b7 7i7 that is not formally designated as an ,urban ,waters partnership location2 and 7ii7 for which is not maintained-- 7,i7 an active partnership with an ,urban ,waters ambassador2 or 7,,ii7 an ,urban ,waters partnership location workplan4 7#f7 ,urban ,waters partnership location ,the term ,urban ,waters partnership location means an urban or municipal site and the associated watershed or waterbody of the site for which-- 7,a7 the ,administrator1 in collaboration with the heads of the other member agencies1 has formally designated as a partnership location under the ,urban ,waters program2 and 7,b7 an active partnership with an ,urban ,waters ambassador is maintained4 7#g7 ,urban ,waters partnership location workplan ,the term ,urban ,waters partnership location workplan means the plan for projects and actions that is coordinated across an ,urban ,waters partnership location4 7#h7 ,urban ,waters program ,the term ,urban ,waters program means the program established under section #c7;a74 #c4 ,urban ,waters ,federal ,partnership program 7a7 ,authorization ,there is authorized a program1 to be known as the ,urban ,waters ,federal ,partnership ,program1 administered by the partnership of the member agencies-- 7#a7 to jointly support and execute the goals of the ,urban ,waters program through the independent authorities and appropriated funding of the member agencies2 and 7#b7 to advance the purpose described in subsection 7b7 within designated ,urban ,waters partnership locations and other urban and suburban communities in the ,united ,states4 7b7 ,program purpose ,the purpose of the ,urban ,waters program is to reconnect urban communities1 particularly urban communities that are overburdened or economically distressed1 with associated waterways by improving coordination among ,federal agencies4 7c7 ,program requirements 7#a7 ,in general ,subject to the availability of appropriations1 the ,administrator1 in coordination with the ,secretaries and1 as appropriate1 the heads of the other member agencies1 shall maintain the ,urban ,waters program in accordance with this subsection4 7#b7 ,urban ,waters ,federal ,partnership ,steering ,committee 7,a7 ,establishment 7i7 ,in general ,the ,administrator shall establish a steering committee for the ,urban ,waters program 7referred to in this paragraph as the steering committee74 7ii7 ,chair ,the ,administrator shall serve as chairperson of the steering committee4 7iii7 ,vice chairs ,the ,secretaries shall serve as vice chairpersons of the steering committee4 7iv7 ,membership ,in addition to the ,administrator and the ,secretaries1 the members of the steering committee shall be the senior officials 7or their designees7 from such member agencies as the ,administrator shall designate4 7,b7 ,duties ,the steering committee shall provide general guidance to the member agencies with respect to the ,urban ,waters program1 including guidance with respect to-- 7i7 the identification of annual priority issues for special emphasis within ,urban ,waters partnership locations2 and 7ii7 the identification of funding opportunities1 which shall be communicated to all ,urban ,waters partnership locations4 7,c7 ,interagency financing ,notwithstanding section #acdf of title #ca1 ,united ,states ,code1 section #gjh of division ,e of the ,consolidated ,appropriations ,act1 #bjbc 7,public ,law #aag-cbh71 or any other similar provision of law1 member agencies may-- 7i7 provide interagency financing to the steering committee2 and 7ii7 directly transfer such amounts as are necessary to support the activities of the steering committee4 7#c7 ,authority 7,a7 ,partnership locations 7i7 ,partnership locations ,the ,administrator and the ,secretaries shall maintain an active partnership program under the ,urban ,waters program at each ,urban ,waters partnership location1 including each ,urban ,waters partnership location in existence on the date of enactment of this ,act1 by providing-- 7,i7 technical assistance for projects to be carried out within the ,urban ,waters partnership location2 7,,ii7 funding for projects to be carried out within the ,urban ,waters partnership location2 7,,iii7 funding for an ,urban ,waters ambassador for the ,urban ,waters partnership location2 and 7,,iv7 coordination support with other member agencies with respect to activities carried out at the ,urban ,waters partnership location4 7ii7 ,new partnership locations 7,i7 ,in general ,the ,administrator and the ,secretaries may1 in consultation with the heads of other member agencies1 establish new ,urban ,waters partnership locations4 7,,ii7 ,nonpartnership locations ,a community with an ,urban ,waters nonpartnership location may1 at the discretion of the community1 seek to have the ,urban ,waters nonpartnership location designated as an ,urban ,waters partnership location4 7,b7 ,authorized activities 7i7 ,definition of eligible entity ,in this subparagraph1 the term eligible entity means-- 7,i7 a ,state2 7,,ii7 a territory or possession of the ,united ,states2 7,,iii7 the ,district of ,columbia2 7,,iv7 an ,indian ,tribe2 7,v7 a unit of local government2 7,,vi7 a public or private institution of higher education2 7,,vii7 a public or private nonprofit institution2 7,,viii7 an intertribal consortium2 7,,ix7 an interstate agency2 and 7,x7 any other entity determined to be appropriate by the ,administrator4 7ii7 ,activities ,in carrying out the ,urban ,waters program1 a member agency may-- 7,i7 encourage1 cooperate with1 and render technical services to and provide financial assistance to support-- 7aa7 ,urban ,waters ambassadors to conduct activities with respect to the applicable ,urban ,waters partnership location1 including-- 7,,aa7 convening the appropriate ,federal and non-,federal partners for the ,urban ,waters partnership location2 7,,bb7 developing and carrying out an ,urban ,waters partnership location workplan2 7,,cc7 leveraging available ,federal and non-,federal resources for projects within the ,urban ,waters partnership location2 and 7,,dd7 sharing information and best practices with the ,urban ,waters ,learning ,network established under subparagraph 7,c72 and 7bb7 an eligible entity in carrying out-- 7,,aa7 projects at ,urban ,waters partnership locations that provide habitat or water quality improvements1 increase river recreation1 enhance community resiliency1 install infrastructure1 strengthen community engagement with and education with respect to water resources1 or support planning1 coordination1 and execution of projects identified in the applicable ,urban ,waters partnership location workplan2 and 7,,bb7 planning1 research1 experiments1 demonstrations1 surveys1 studies1 monitoring1 training1 and outreach to advance the purpose described in subsection 7b7 within ,urban ,waters partnership locations and in ,urban ,waters nonpartnership locations2 and 7,,ii7 transfer funds to or enter into interagency agreements with other member agencies as necessary to carry out the ,urban ,waters program4 7,c7 ,urban ,waters learning network ,the ,administrator and the ,secretaries shall maintain an ,urban ,waters ,learning ,network-- 7i7 to share information1 resources1 and tools between ,urban ,waters partnership locations and with other interested communities2 and 7ii7 to carry out community-based capacity building that advances the goals of the ,urban ,waters program4 7,d7 ,workplan progress ,progress in addressing the goals of the ,urban ,waters partnership location workplan of an ,urban ,waters partnership location shall be shared with the ,urban ,waters program at regular intervals1 as determined by the ,administrator and the ,secretaries4 7d7 ,reports to ,congress ,the ,administrator and the ,secretaries shall annually submit to the appropriate committees of ,congress a report describing the progress in carrying out the ,urban ,waters program1 which shall include-- 7#a7 a description of the use of funds under the ,urban ,waters program2 7#b7 a description of the progress made in carrying out ,urban ,waters partnership location workplans2 and 7#c7 any additional information that the ,administrator and the ,secretaries determine to be appropriate4 7e7 ,authorization of appropriations 7#a7 ,in general ,there is authorized to be appropriated to the ,administrator to carry out the ,urban ,waters program #aj1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbd through #bjbh4 7#b7 ,use of funds ,notwithstanding any other provision of law1 activities carried out using amounts made available to the ,administrator under paragraph 7#a7 may be used in conjunction with amounts made available from-- 7,a7 other member agencies2 and 7,b7 non-,federal entities that participate in the ,urban ,waters program4