White House Vetoes Congressional Bill H.R. 131

The White House has vetoed Congressional Bill H.R. 131, known as the Finish the Arkansas Valley Conduit Act. This legislative action is pivotal for the future of the Arkansas Valley Conduit (AVC), a water pipeline project aimed at supplying municipal and industrial water to areas in southeastern Colorado.

Background on the Arkansas Valley Conduit

The AVC was initially established under the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project, authorized by President Kennedy in 1962. However, the project faced significant delays primarily due to its economic unfeasibility. The original plan mandated federal funding with repayment by local users over a period of 50 years following project completion. Unfortunately, local participants struggled to meet this repayment schedule.

Changes Affecting Repayment Obligations

In 2009, President Obama signed the Omnibus Public Land Management Act, which altered the repayment requirement from 100% to 35%. This legislation also allowed miscellaneous revenues from the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project to contribute to the AVC cost-sharing. Despite these changes, construction did not commence until 14 years later when Colorado authorized $100 million in loans and grants.

Details of Bill H.R. 131

• The bill proposed extending the repayment period an additional 25 years, resulting in a total of 75 years.
• It aimed to reduce the interest rate on repayments by 50%.
• More than $249 million has already been invested in the AVC, with total costs anticipated to reach $1.3 billion.

Concerns Raised by the Veto

In a statement from the White House, President Donald J. Trump emphasized that H.R. 131 would perpetuate unsuccessful financial policies. He argued that it would place increased burdens on federal taxpayers to cover expenses of a local project, which was originally intended to be funded by the localities benefiting from it.

The President expressed a commitment to preventing further financial obligations that could undermine economic stability and the fiscal health of the nation. Consequently, he returned Bill H.R. 131 to the House of Representatives without his approval on December 29, 2025.

This veto marks a significant turn in the ongoing debate over local versus federal funding for water infrastructure projects within Colorado.