S. 2717: Rural Community Arsenic Relief Act

108th Congress · introduced 2004-07-22 · Environmental Protection · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2004-07-22 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Nelson, Ben [D-NE] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Rural Community Arsenic Relief Act

Plain summary

Rural Community Arsenic Relief Act - Amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to require States exercising primary enforcement responsibility for public water systems to exempt any nonprofit small public water system (serving 10,000 or fewer persons) that so requests in accordance with this Act from the requirements of any national primary drinking water regulation for naturally occurring contaminants, including arsenic, radon, radium, and uranium. Requires exemption requests to demonstrate that the system's compliance with applicable national primary drinking water regulations: (1) is not economically feasible; (2) has a disproportionate and adverse impact on low-income families; (3) is substantially impeded by limited access to innovative and affordable technology; or (4) is not necessary because the drinking water provided by the system does not pose an unreasonable health risk. Sets forth alternative arsenic standards for those systems receiving arsenic exemptions. Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a university-based arsenic research consortium comprised of specified institutions of higher education. Authorizes the Administrator to provide grants to the consortium to carry out its duties.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Rural Community Arsenic Relief Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Nelson, Ben [D-NE] · 2 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Exemption: A rule that removes certain people, property or activities from a tax or requirement.
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-108s2717.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/108/s>

Record fed-us-cong108-s2717 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong108 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong108