SEWER Act

Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · Jan 28, 2025

Surveilling Effluent Water for Epidemic Response Act or the SEWER Act

This bill provides statutory authority for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS) program, which detects and monitors pathogens in wastewater. It requires the CDC to expand and intensify the activities of the NWSS, including with respect to SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19), influenza, mpox, dengue, West Nile virus, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

The NWSS provides funding and guidance to public health departments for wastewater surveillance activities. Under the NWSS, health departments and other partners coordinate on wastewater surveillance at sampling sites and share data with the CDC. The NWSS was initially implemented to monitor SARS-CoV-2 and has since expanded to include influenza A, avian influenza A, mpox, and RSV.

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People & committees

Who introduced it

Rep. Garcia, Robert [D-CA-42] · D–CA

Committees

Energy and Commerce Committee

2 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Legislative record

Actions

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Jan 28, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Jan 28, 2025
Introduced in House
Jan 28, 2025
Introduced in House

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Introduced in House · Jan 28, 2025 Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

Source last updated: Oct 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

AI Conversation Starters

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Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze H.R.766 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

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Discuss H.R.766, 119th Congress: SEWER Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/766

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2025-01-28.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/119/bills/hr766/BILLS-119hr766ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-10-08T17:34:12Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze H.R.766 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine H.R.766 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

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Discuss H.R.766, 119th Congress: SEWER Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/766

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2025-01-28.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/119/bills/hr766/BILLS-119hr766ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-10-08T17:34:12Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.766 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine H.R.766 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.766, 119th Congress: SEWER Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/766

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2025-01-28.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/119/bills/hr766/BILLS-119hr766ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-10-08T17:34:12Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.766 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine H.R.766 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.766, 119th Congress: SEWER Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/766

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2025-01-28.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/119/bills/hr766/BILLS-119hr766ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-10-08T17:34:12Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.766 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.