Analyst Brief September 14, 2026

H.R. 7889 — Advancing Water Research and Collaboration Act of 2025, as amended

Current Status

Suspension Calendar

Executive Summary

H.R. 7889, the Advancing Water Research and Collaboration (AWRC) Act of 2025, reauthorizes the water resources research and technology institutes program under the Water Resources Research Act of 1984. The bill provides $16 million annually from FY2026 through FY2029. Crucially, it modernizes the program's statutory purpose to explicitly include the 'growing artificial intelligence industry,' reflecting the increasing intersection of AI data center water consumption and AI-driven hydrological modeling. It also restructures competitive grant funding to prioritize regional and interstate water challenges, capping specific interstate research funds at 20 percent of the total authorization.

Bill Data

Primary Sponsor

Mr. Wittman

Bill Number

H.R. 7889

Session

119th

Co-Sponsors

Ms. BrownleyMr. LawlerMr. McGuireMr. GriffithMr. Hurd of ColoradoMr. McDowell
View on Congress.gov ↗

Arguments For

  • Modernization for the Tech Era: Explicitly including the AI industry acknowledges the massive water footprint of modern data centers, allowing research institutes to proactively address tech-driven water scarcity.
  • Interstate Collaboration: By focusing competitive grants on regional and interstate water problems, the bill encourages shared solutions for multi-state watersheds (e.g., the Colorado River Basin) rather than siloed, state-by-state approaches.
  • Predictable Funding: Provides a stable $16 million annual baseline for university-based water research institutes, ensuring long-term project viability.

Likely Supporters

National Institutes for Water Resources (NIWR)Technology and AI industry associationsUniversity research coalitions

Arguments Against

  • Fiscal Restraint: Hardline fiscal conservatives may oppose the $64 million total authorization over four years, arguing that water research should be funded at the state level or by the private tech industry itself.
  • Cap on Interstate Funds: Capping the additional funds for interstate water problems at 20 percent may artificially constrain research in regions where cross-border water disputes are the primary existential threat.

Likely Opponents

Fiscal conservative advocacy groups (e.g., Heritage Action, Club for Growth)

📋 Key Provisions

  • Reauthorizes the water resources research and technology institutes program at $16,000,000 annually for fiscal years 2026 through 2029.
  • Amends the Congressional Declaration of Purpose to explicitly include the 'growing artificial intelligence industry' alongside private industry.
  • Directs competitive grant research funds toward regional or interstate water problems, joint Secretary-institute priorities, and congressionally identified interstate water issues.
  • Caps the amount of authorized funds that can be used specifically for additional research focused on interstate water problems at 20 percent.
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Claim Analysis Page 2, Line 4

Includes the artificial intelligence industry in the program's declaration of purpose.

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"including the growing artificial intelligence industry,"

Claim Analysis Page 2, Line 21

Authorizes $16 million annually for fiscal years 2026 through 2029.

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"carry out this section $16,000,000"

Claim Analysis Page 4, Line 11

Caps funding for additional research on interstate water problems at 20 percent.

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"through 2029, not more than 20 percent is author-"