A bill to amend the Reclamation States Emergency Drought Relief Act of 1991 to extend the authority for drought assistance.
Key claim: This Senate bill would keep federal drought-assistance authority for Western reclamation states in place through September 30, 2010.
Abstract
(S648 · 109th Congress) (This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.) Amends the Reclamation States Emergency Drought Relief Act of 1991 to extend the authority for drought assistance through September 30, 2010. Latest action (2005-12-20): Referred to the Subcommittee on Water and Power.
Why this matters
The 1991 Reclamation States Emergency Drought Relief Act is the standing federal authority for Bureau of Reclamation drought aid in Western states, and it operates only when Congress extends its sunset. A short-term reauthorization keeps existing tools — emergency water purchases, well drilling, and technical assistance — available to reclamation-state water users, but does not expand eligibility or funding.