H.R.131 — Finish the Arkansas Valley Conduit Act
House Roll Call
H.R.131
| Bill | H.R.131 — Finish the Arkansas Valley Conduit Act |
|---|---|
| Vote question | Passage, Objections of the President To The Contrary Notwithstanding |
| Vote type | 2/3 Yea-And-Nay |
| Result | Failed |
| Totals | Yea 248 / Nay 177 / Present 1 / Not Voting 5 |
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | 35 | 177 | 1 | 5 |
| D | 213 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| I | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Research Brief
Passage, Objections of the President To The Contrary Notwithstanding
Bill Analysis
H.R. 131 – Finish the Arkansas Valley Conduit Act (119th Congress)
H.R. 131 directs and accelerates completion of the Arkansas Valley Conduit (AVC), a long-delayed federal rural water supply project in southeastern Colorado authorized under the Fryingpan–Arkansas Project. The conduit is intended to deliver safe, reliable drinking water to numerous small and mid-sized communities along the Arkansas River that currently rely on poor-quality groundwater or aging systems.
The bill focuses on expediting and fully implementing existing federal responsibilities rather than creating a new program. It reaffirms and clarifies the Bureau of Reclamation’s authority to plan, design, and construct the AVC and associated facilities, including water treatment and conveyance infrastructure. It likely sets or tightens deadlines for key project milestones (e.g., completion of design, award of construction contracts, or substantial completion of segments) and may require periodic progress reporting to Congress.
Funding provisions center on ensuring that federal appropriations are sufficient and predictable to complete the project. The bill likely authorizes or reauthorizes federal cost-share levels, clarifies repayment or cost-allocation requirements for local project beneficiaries, and may allow the use of previously appropriated but unexpended funds. It may also streamline or waive certain administrative barriers that have slowed prior funding or construction, while keeping core environmental and safety requirements intact.
Agencies principally affected are the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation and, indirectly, state and local water providers and conservancy districts partnering on the AVC. Beneficiaries include municipal and rural water systems, households, and businesses in participating Arkansas Valley communities that will gain access to higher-quality, more reliable potable water.
As of the latest action, consideration of the President’s veto message on H.R. 131 has been postponed until January 8, 2026, meaning the bill has passed Congress but has not become law. Its provisions will take effect only if Congress overrides the veto or enacts substantially similar legislation.
Yea (248)
J
Jason Crow
L
Lloyd Doggett
J
John Garamendi
J
John Mannion
L
Lucy McBath
D
David Schweikert
E
Eric Swalwell
R
Rashida Tlaib
N
Nydia Velázquez
D
Debbie Wasserman Schultz
Nay (177)
K
Ken Calvert
S
Scott Franklin
L
Lisa McClain
P
Pete Sessions
