{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://fulcher.house.gov/2025/05/13/id-21574fbe-a6ce-4745-9ce7-9ea13c2cf57b/", "PASSED: Fulcher\u2019s Bill to Streamline Water Management Clears House", "2025-05-13", "2025", "2025-05", "Republican", "House", "ID", "Russ Fulcher", "F000469", "fulcher.house.gov", "fulcher", "https://fulcher.house.gov/category/press-releases/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nCONTACT: Christiann\u00e9 Allen, Christianne.Allen@mail.house.gov\n\nCONTACT: Marisa Melton, Marisa.Melton@mail.house.gov\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Congressman Russ Fulcher (R-Idaho) issued the following statement after his legislation, H.R. 331, cleared the House of Representatives and advanced to the Senate:\n\n\u201cI am pleased to share that my bill addressing one of the most pressing issues facing the West-water security-has passed the House,\u201d said Congressman Fulcher. \u201cStates, local governments, and Tribes with existing authorizations should not have to go through redundant federal bureaucratic hurdles to recharge their community\u2019s aquifer water supply. H.R. 331 not only speeds up the water replenishment process, but it also reduces costs for projects using established infrastructure in Idaho.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis is a practical, no-cost solution that cuts red tape, empowers local decision-making, and helps us protect our most valuable resource,\u201d Congressman Fulcher stated. \u201cIt\u2019s the kind of commonsense governance Americans expect and deserve.\u201d\n\nHouse Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman added, \u201cOne of the many responsibilities of Congress is to see that the laws we enact have do what they intend. Mr. Fulcher\u2019s legislation clarifies an existing law to ensure existing right of ways can be used by states, tribes, or local governments for aquifer recharge projects. I thank him for bringing this solution to the table to make an important clarification.\u201d\n\nBill Background:\n\nH.R. 331 would modify the Aquifer Recharge Flexibility Act from the 116th Congress to expand provisions concerning authorizations (e.g., rights-of-way) to transport water across public land administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for aquifer recharge purposes.\n\nThis legislation would amend the Aquifer Recharge Flexibility Act to allow holders of existing right-of-way grants to use them for aquifer recharge without needing additional authorization from the Secretary of the Interior.\n\nThe bill clarifies that this use will not be considered an expansion or modification of the original grant. It would also require the right-of-way holder to notify the Bureau of Land Management 30 days in advance, providing details on the intended use and any agreements with other entities involved in the water transfer for recharge purposes.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T00:49:36Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://fulcher.house.gov/2025/05/13/id-21574fbe-a6ce-4745-9ce7-9ea13c2cf57b/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.0403175838291645, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}