H.R. 6550: To amend the Water Resources Development Act of 1996 to make modifications to the Chesapeake Bay environmental restoration and protection program.

110th Congress · introduced 2008-07-17 · Water Resources Development · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2008-07-17 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Sarbanes, John P. [D-MD-3] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment. 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

To amend the Water Resources Development Act of 1996 to make modifications to the Chesapeake Bay environmental restoration and protection program.

Plain summary

Amends the Water Resources Development Act of 1996 to eliminate the pilot program status of the Chesapeake Bay environmental restoration and protection program. Permits the nonfederal share of project costs of a local cooperation agreement to include in-kind services. Treats funds provided for a project by a federal agency other than the Corps of Engineers as nonfederal funds for purposes of cost sharing requirements. Authorizes the Secretary of the Army to carry out projects under the program in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, with the goal of carrying out projects in Delaware, New York, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia (currently the Secretary is required to establish at least one project in each of Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania). Directs the Secretary to establish a program, to be administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, to provide small watershed grants for technical and financial assistance to local governments and nonprofit organizations in the Chesapeake Bay region. Permits the use of grant funds only for implementation of cooperative tributary basin and other Chesapeake Bay-wide strategies that address storm water management or the establishment, restoration, protection, or enhancement of natural habitat associated with the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem. Increases the authorization of appropriations for the Cheasapeake Bay program. Directs the Secretary to develop at federal expense and submit to Congress a comprehensive plan to prioritize projects within the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

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

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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

To amend the Water Resources Development Act of 1996 to make modifications to the Chesapeake Bay environmental restoration and protection program.

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Sarbanes, John P. [D-MD-3] · 20 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-VA), Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC)

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)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-110hr6550.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/110/hr>

Record fed-us-cong110-hr6550 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong110 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong110