President Obama Talks Water Issues in State of the Union Address

Already during the first year of the 113th Congress (2013), water legislation has been working its way through the House and Senate. As one of the topics around which republicans and democrats, senators and representatives have been able to come together, some examples of water-related legislation under consideration has included:

• the Water Resources (Reform and) Development Act;
• the Farm Bill;
• and the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness (ESIC) Act—which has considered the use of energy for water in buildings and water treatment.

The President addressed water directly at some points, such as in the call for upgraded ports and passage of waterways legislation, and the protection of water during energy production. He also noted several issues where water plays a significant role, such as support for basic research and patent reform for entrepreneurs and small business owners (which includes innovations in water technologies), and for high-tech manufacturing jobs (including water manufacturing jobs); and about food exports (including the water that goes into growing those food exports).

Water appears in many different ways and in many places in Congress—with issues and proposed legislation reviewed in a variety of committees.

Yet there are many other people passionate about water—Water Citizens—who are interested in tracking, testifying on and transforming water legislation. Water Citizens are interested in understanding and participating in the legislative process on water issues as an expert, advocate or activist—working individually or within a larger association, company or organization—and traveling to Capitol Hill or following water-related activities in Congress from home.

The Water Citizen Network created the 2014 Keys to Water in Congress (KWIC) Quick Guide to Selected Congressional Committees That Address Water to provide easy access to some key information on several of the House and Senate Committees that regularly address water issues and how to find them.

More KWIC guides, programs and tools will follow to support Water Citizens in understanding the people, the processes and the ways to participate in Water in Congress.

Free copies of the 2014 KWIC Quick Guide to Selected Congressional Committees that Address Water Issues are available for download for a limited time. 

Source: Water Citizen