Washington, DC (March 8, 2007) – Today, Congressman Rubén Hinojosa (TX-15), Co-Founder and Chairman of the Congressional Rural Housing Caucus, hailed passage of legislation reauthorizing $14 billion for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund over the next four years. The program is the primary source of federal funding for clean water projects and provides low-interest loans to local communities for the construction of wastewater treatment facilities and other water pollution abatement projects. The 110th Congress marks the first time in 13 years that the fund has been reauthorized.

“With 20 percent of the country’s population living in rural communities, it’s critical that we address their infrastructure needs including access to clean water, working sewers, electricity, and other necessities. For more than a decade, the Clean Water State Revolving Fund has been an integral element in state and local efforts to deal with critical clean water infrastructure needs,” said Hinojosa.

“As a community, our progress must be judged not by the status of our most fortunate members of society, but by that of our most challenged members.  That is why I am committed to fighting for the resources needed to ensure a better standard of living for all Colonia residents and why I voted in favor of H.R. 720,” said Hinojosa.

“There are more than 350,000 people who struggle in the unacceptable living conditions of the Colonias every day,” said Hinojosa. “Today’s legislation addresses one of the fundamental goals of the Rural Housing Caucus and will go a long way toward improving the quality of life of those residents.