Flooding Prevention, Assessment, and Restoration Act

Bill Number

H.R. 1858

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Agriculture and Food

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-03-28: Referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology.

Last Updated

2025-12-19T09:07:37Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

The Flooding Prevention, Assessment, and Restoration Act (H.R. 1858) aims to improve flood protection and management for agricultural watersheds by enhancing restoration efforts, conducting a national vulnerability assessment, and increasing federal support for rehabilitating aging flood control structures. It focuses on reducing flood risks to farmland, livestock, and crops while promoting long-term environmental health.

Key Provisions

• Amendments to the Emergency Watershed Program (Section 2): Under the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978, the Secretary of Agriculture can now implement restoration measures that provide protection beyond the minimum needed to fix immediate flood damage. This is allowed if the Secretary determines it benefits the watershed's long-term health, prevents repeated flooding, and is cost-effective while considering environmental risks.
• National Agriculture Flood Vulnerability Study (Section 3): The Secretary of Agriculture must complete and submit a report to relevant congressional committees within two years of the bill's enactment. The report, based on a conservation effects assessment, will analyze:
• Economic losses to crops and livestock from flooding under various scenarios (e.g., how often floods might occur).
• Benefits of watershed-wide mitigation strategies on downstream areas.
• Federal and state data on flood types affecting farmland, such as river overflow, coastal surges, heavy rain, and sudden flash floods.
• Current conservation practices by farmers and government programs to manage floods, plus recommendations for new approaches.
• Rehabilitation of Aging Flood Structures (Section 4): Amends the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act to:
• Clarify that standard watershed projects (except rehabilitation ones) must include specific planning elements.
• Raise the federal government's cost-share for rehabilitating structures (like dams or levees) that are at or beyond their expected lifespan from 65% to 90% of total costs.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Expands flexibility in the Emergency Watershed Program to allow proactive, enhanced restorations rather than limiting efforts to emergency fixes only.
• Introduces a new mandatory national study on agricultural flood risks, which did not previously exist in this form.
• Increases federal funding commitment for rehabilitating old flood control structures, making it easier for projects to qualify for higher government support and removing certain planning requirements for these rehabilitations.

Potential Impacts

• Government Agencies: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will face new responsibilities for conducting the vulnerability study and overseeing enhanced restorations, potentially increasing administrative workload but also providing data to guide future policies. Higher cost-sharing (90%) may raise federal spending on flood projects.
• Citizens and Farmers: Agricultural producers could benefit from better long-term flood protection, reduced economic losses from floods, and access to tailored conservation recommendations, helping safeguard crops, livestock, and income in flood-prone areas.
• Environment and Communities: Enhanced watershed health may reduce repetitive flooding risks for rural and downstream areas, improving soil conservation and water quality. No direct impacts on international relations are outlined.
• Overall, the bill could lead to more resilient agricultural lands, though it may strain federal budgets without specified funding sources.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Agricultural Producers and Farmers: Primary beneficiaries through improved flood risk management and conservation support.
• U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA): Responsible for implementation, assessments, and reporting.
• Congressional Committees: House Committee on Agriculture and Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, which receive the required report.
• State and Local Governments: Involved in data sharing and watershed projects, potentially gaining from federal cost-sharing for rehabilitations.
• Environmental and Conservation Groups: Indirectly affected by provisions emphasizing long-term watershed health and cost-effective environmental protections.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Strengthens USDA's authority under existing farm and watershed laws without creating new agencies or mandates, ensuring compliance with cost-effectiveness standards to avoid misuse of funds. The bill's amendments are targeted and do not alter broader constitutional frameworks like federal spending powers.
• Constitutional: Aligns with Congress's enumerated powers to regulate interstate commerce (agriculture) and provide for the general welfare through disaster prevention, with no apparent conflicts.
• Political: Bipartisan sponsorship (from both parties) suggests broad support for agricultural resilience amid climate-related flooding concerns. It may influence future farm bills by highlighting needs for flood data and funding, potentially sparking debates on federal spending priorities in disaster aid. No major controversies are evident in the text itself.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Davis, Donald G. [D-NC-1]

Cosponsors (8)

Rep. Feenstra, Randy [R-IA-4], Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2], Rep. Nunn, Zachary [R-IA-3], Rep. Rouzer, David [R-NC-7], Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1], Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20], Rep. Budzinski, Nikki [D-IL-13], Rep. Bresnahan, Robert P. [R-PA-8]

Recent Actions

• 2025-03-28: Referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology.
• 2025-03-05: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
• 2025-03-05: Introduced in House
• 2025-03-05: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Flooding Prevention, Assessment, and Restoration Act — issued 2025-03-05 — PDF (4 pages)