House Approves Bill Providing Assistance to Homeless Veterans; New Wildfire Mitigation Bill Introduced
December 7, 2023
This week, the House overwhelmingly approved legislation (H.R. 3848) that seeks to ensure homeless veterans are able to access and receive the care, resources, and services they need. Specifically, H.R. 3848 would increase the per diem rate the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) pays nonprofit organizations that assist veterans with short-term transitional housing, such as the Salvation Army. The bill also creates a stipend that veterans experiencing homelessness can use to purchase necessities such as food, shelter, clothing, and hygiene items; transportation services; and, communications equipment such as smartphones so the veterans can maintain contact with health care providers, prospective landlords, and family members. The measure is now pending before the Senate.
Across Capitol Hill, the upper chamber was unable to advance the Biden administration’s $110.5 billion supplemental spending request for assistance to Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, and others. Although many Senate Republicans strongly support providing security aid to Ukraine and Israel, all GOP senators voted to block the measure because it did not include language to stem the flow of migrants at the southern border. Looking ahead, it remains to be seen if the border and immigration policy dispute can be resolved before Congress adjourns for the year. Absent a bipartisan breakthrough, the foreign aid package will likely remain in limbo.
Legislation Introduced to Help Combat Catastrophic Wildfires
On November 30, Representatives Val Hoyle (D-OR) and Joe Neguse (D-CO) introduced legislation – the Wildfire Resilient Communities Act (H.R. 6525) – that seeks to combat catastrophic wildfire through forest health and community risk reduction projects. Specifically, H.R. 6525 would provide $30 billion for hazardous fuels reduction, which is intended to help ensure that there is stable funding for land management agencies to expand wildfire risk reduction projects. The bill also would increase funding for the Community Wildfire Defense Grant (CWDG) program to help communities develop and execute community wildfire risk reduction plans. In addition, H.R. 6525 would permanently reauthorize the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program, which promotes collaborative and science-based restoration of priority forest landscapes. Finally, the bill would establish a County Stewardship Fund to provide counties with 25 percent of stewardship contract receipts from federal land to support local government services.
EPA Proposes Rule to Remove Lead and Copper Pipes
On December 6, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed a new rule that would require a majority of local water systems to replace their lead service lines within 10 years. To stay on track, the proposal calls for 10 percent of the nation’s lead water lines to be replaced each year. The EPA is also proposing changes to tap-sampling protocols at the state and local level. Additionally, the agency is seeking to lower the threshold that is required to trigger public notice (from 15 to 10 micrograms of lead per liter).
Pursuant to the rule, local water agencies with multiple lead violations would be required to make available certified lead-reducing water filters to customers. Finally, EPA’s proposal would require water systems to communicate more frequently and proactively with consumers about lead service lines and the plans for replacing those lines.
According to the EPA, the cost of replacing every lead pipe in America is expected to be approximately $45 billion. However, the drinking water industry’s estimate runs as high as $60 billion. It should be noted that $15 billion in EPA funding is available through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) for lead removal and technical assistance. However, EPA’s proposal does not address who would be responsible for the balance of the replacement costs.
The proposed rule is open to public comment through February 5 of next year. The agency will hold a virtual public hearing on January 16, 2024, at which time the public will be invited to provide EPA with verbal comments.