# Plain Language Summary: Clean Water Act 50th Anniversary Commemoration

This bill is a ceremonial resolution that marks the 50th anniversary of the Clean Water Act, which was passed in 1972. It's not creating new laws or changing any existing rules—it's simply Congress officially recognizing and celebrating this important environmental law that has been protecting America's water for five decades.

The Clean Water Act was a landmark piece of legislation that set standards for water quality and gave the government tools to prevent pollution in rivers, lakes, and coastal waters. It established rules about what industries and municipalities can discharge into waterways and created programs to clean up polluted areas. For everyday people, this law is why you can swim in many rivers and lakes today without worrying about serious contamination, and why companies can't just dump their waste into the nearest stream.

By passing this commemorative resolution, Congress is essentially saying "this law has been important and we want to acknowledge its impact." It's a symbolic gesture that doesn't require any new spending or change how the Clean Water Act currently works. Think of it like a birthday celebration—it recognizes something significant that happened in the past and its ongoing value, but it doesn't fundamentally alter what that thing does going forward.

Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972, commonly known as the "Clean Water Act".

DeFazio, Peter A.

 <p>This concurrent resolution commemorates the 50th anniversary of the enactment of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972, commonly known as the Clean Water Act.</p>