AWRC Act of 2025

This bill amends the Water Resources Research Act of 1984 to include the "growing artificial intelligence industry" in its definition of private sector collaboration. It authorizes $16 million annually for fiscal years 2026-2029 for water research institutes, with 20% of these funds required for research on interstate water issues. The bill specifies that research must address regional or interstate water problems, align with joint priorities of the Secretary and institutes, or respond to Congress-identified interstate water concerns. It directly affects federal water research institutes, the Department of the Interior (via the Secretary), and federal funding allocations for water-related scientific projects. The changes focus on structuring funding distribution and expanding research scope to include emerging sectors like AI.