"We are working hard to strengthen and expand this program so that we can provide greater assistance to the families who need it."
Introduce and work to pass legislation to reauthorize and expand the USDA Rural Decentralized Water Systems Grant Program.
Occurrences
Evidence
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GovInfo records that Rep. Sewell introduced H.R. 7921 on March 12, 2026 and referred it to the House Committee on Agriculture. The bill's title says it would modify provisions relating to rural decentralized water systems grants.
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The House Congressional Record for April 29, 2026 reflects consideration of H.R. 7567, the farm bill, and indicates the rural decentralized water systems provisions were part of the legislation being debated.
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The committee report for H.R. 7567 includes section 6407, 'Rural decentralized water systems,' which amends section 306E to reauthorize and improve the program, including expanded uses such as water quality testing, water treatment, and technical assistance.
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Sewell said she had secured inclusion of her Rural Decentralized Water Systems Reauthorization Act in the farm bill and explained that it would reauthorize the USDA grant program and expand eligibility to households at 80% or lower of median non-metropolitan household income.
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The live Congress.gov listing for H.R. 7567 still shows the bill as introduced, with the latest action recorded as referral to the House Committee on Agriculture on 2026-02-13 and no later legislative step shown on the page.
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GovInfo's engrossed House text for H.R. 7567 lists the measure as an Act and includes section 6407, "Rural decentralized water systems." The section rewrites 7 U.S.C. 1926e to cover households up to 80 percent of median nonmetropolitan household income, add qualified water quality testing and technical assistance uses, raise the loan or subgrant cap to $20,000 per system, and authorize $20 million for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031.
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USDA Rural Development's current program page says the Rural Decentralized Water Systems Grant Program application window is open from July 28, 2026, through September 30, 2026. It describes current loan terms as a one percent fixed interest rate, maximum 20-year term, and $15,000 maximum loan per household, and says the program is governed by 7 CFR 1776 and Section 306E of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act.
Assessments
Sewell introduced the targeted Rural Decentralized Water Systems legislation in the 119th Congress and materially advanced the policy by getting reauthorization and expansion language incorporated into the House farm bill text, including broader eligibility/uses, a higher assistance cap, and FY2027-FY2031 authorization. However, the evidence does not show final enactment into law or USDA implementation of the expanded program as of September 13, 2026, so the promise is not fully delivered.
Sewell completed the promise to introduce legislation by filing H.R. 7921, and she materially advanced the policy by getting the rural decentralized water systems reauthorization and expansion language into the 2026 farm bill committee report and House floor consideration. But the evidence provided does not show final enactment of that legislation or the underlying program changes into law. Because the 119th Congress is still active and the promised outcome could still be completed, this is better scored as unresolved rather than never. Full delivery is not supported yet because reauthorization and expansion have not been shown to have passed and become law.
Sewell fulfilled the action-oriented promise to introduce and work to pass the reauthorization and expansion. The evidence shows she introduced H.R. 7921 in the 119th Congress, and the substance was incorporated into the 2026 farm bill through section 6407, with committee reporting and House floor consideration during her current federal term. The record provided does not establish final enactment, so this is delivery of the promised legislative introduction and advancement rather than proof that the program changes became law.