Despite a threatened presidential veto, the House has approved a bill that would authorize $14 billion over four years in aid to state revolving funds for wastewater treatment plant construction. The bill, passed March 9 by a 303-108 vote, was praised by construction industry groups and is the first reauthorization of the Clean Water Act SRF program to clear the House since 1995.
Fights over the Davis-Bacon Act have helped block such water legislation for about a decade. But with Democrats now controlling the House, the new bill requires Davis-Bacon prevailing wages on projects financed by the revolving funds. Davis-Bacon foes tried to delete the language but lost a floor vote.