H.R. 6279 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the House, sent to the Committee on Natural Resources, Nov 21, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryFederal help for aging urban canal infrastructure
The bill expands the federal government's responsibility to help maintain aging irrigation and water systems in western states. Specifically, it directs the Bureau of Reclamation to do necessary repair and maintenance work on urban canals that are critical to public safety, and to provide federal funding to cover 35% of the cost of this extraordinary maintenance work on urban canals and certain facilities near cities that could pose safety risks if they failed.
How it affects you
People living near urban canals and water infrastructure in western states could benefit from better maintained systems that are less likely to fail and threaten nearby properties or lives. The bill doesn't directly affect most Americans outside these areas, though it does commit federal funds to these maintenance efforts.
Read the official summary (Introduced in House, Nov 21, 2025)
Urban Canal Modernization Act
This bill expands the Bureau of Reclamation's responsibility under the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 to address aging irrigation and water resources infrastructure in western states to include additional work for urban canals of concern.
Specifically, the bill directs Reclamation or the operating entity of a transferred work (i.e., infrastructure owned by Reclamation, but maintained by a nonfederal entity) to carry out any necessary extraordinary operation and maintenance work for urban canals of concern, which are certain transferred works the failure of which would result in loss of life and property in the vicinity of the canal.
Reclamation must also provide federal funds to transferred works on a nonreimbursable basis sufficient to cover 35% of the cost of extraordinary operation and maintenance work for (1) urban canals of concern, and (2) certain project facilities which are in proximity to urbanized areas and which could pose a risk to public safety or property if the facilities failed.
The bill further specifies that any reimbursable funds provided under the bill must be considered a nonfederal source of funds for purposes of federal grant cost-sharing requirements.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionH. R. 6279
A BILL
Urban Canal Modernization Act
Sponsor: Rep. Michael K. Simpson (R-ID-2) · Introduced Nov 21, 2025 · Transportation and Public Works · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Nov 21, 2025: “Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.”