About the Legislation
The Ohio River Restoration Program Act would establish an Ohio River National Program Office within the EPA — modeled after successful federal programs for the Great Lakes, the Chesapeake Bay, and other major water systems — to coordinate states, local governments, interstate compact agencies, tribal nations, and nongovernmental organizations in developing and implementing a comprehensive restoration and protection plan for the Basin.
The Act was first introduced on December 16, 2024, by Caucus co-chair Representative Morgan McGarvey (KY-03). It addresses a long-standing gap: despite supporting nearly 10% of the U.S. population and serving as a vital corridor for commerce, agriculture, and public health, the Ohio River Basin receives no dedicated federal restoration funding — while comparable systems receive hundreds of millions of dollars annually.
The Act would fund a comprehensive range of restoration and protection priorities across the Basin, including habitat restoration, farm conservation, pollution prevention, clean water access, flood resilience, workforce development, and robust public engagement, ensuring that communities, ecosystems, and economies across all 14 states benefit.
See below for additional background info, bill text, one-pagers, and state resolutions, or visit the Caucus News page to learn more. Additionally, you can visit the Ohio River Basin Alliance website for more information. Links will be updated as the legislation advances.
The Case for Support
Current House & Senate Bills
- View the full text of House Bill: H.R.5966 – Ohio River Restoration Program Act. Or read the one-pager. (Introduced in the House on November 7, 2025, this is the current version of the McGarvey/Houchin bill to create the Ohio River Basin Restoration Program.) The bill currently has 16 sponsors/co-sponsors (8 Republicans, 8 Democrats).
- US Senate bill S3796 is a companion bill introduced on February 5, 2026, by Senators Fetterman and Young. Read the full text of the bill here.
State Support: