For Las Vegas to keep its taps flowing, Rep. Susie Lee says this one drought measure must survive federal spending purges: water recycling.

Lee, D-Nev., and Rep. Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz., introduced the Large-Scale Water Recycling Reauthorization Act in Congress on Thursday to reauthorize a federal grant program that will sunset in 2026. While it doesn’t currently add any more money to the program, Lee said it would allow the Bureau of Reclamation to dole out $125 million in unused funds, extending the program to 2031.

“The states that surround the Colorado River — they’re red and blue,” Lee said in a Thursday interview. “But it’s a crisis, and the reason this reauthorization is so important is to make sure we continue to have the authority to use the funding to support these programs.”

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