Constitution Index · H.R. 131 · 2025-01-03
Finish the Arkansas Valley Conduit Act
Latest official status (2026-01-08): The Chair directed the Clerk to notify the Senate of the action of the House.
Constitutional grade
A
Constitutional
The bill is a routine adjustment to federal water project repayment terms, well within Congress's enumerated powers over federal property and spending. It does not infringe on any constitutional rights, respects state and local roles, and does not implicate due process or takings concerns.
Article I, Section 8, Clause 3 Article IV, Section 3, Clause 2
SI-generated grade · passed automated checks (real Constitution citation, language rules) · not individually reviewed by a person · methodology · Report an error: hello@valuesforamerica.com
The five checks
Enumerated powers · passes
Congress has authority under Article I, Section 8, Clause 3 (Commerce Clause) and the Property Clause (Article IV, Section 3, Clause 2) to manage federal water projects and set repayment terms. The Arkansas Valley Conduit is a federal project, and adjusting repayment schedules is a valid exercise of federal spending and property management powers.
Bill of Rights · passes
The bill does not implicate any of the first ten amendments. It does not affect speech, religion, assembly, press, petition, arms, quartering, search and seizure, self-incrimination, due process, takings, trial rights, jury rights, cruel and unusual punishment, unenumerated rights, or reserved powers.
Individual liberty · passes
The bill reduces financial obligations on communities, thereby expanding their economic freedom. It does not restrict personal liberty, property, speech, labor, or belief. The burden of proof for any restriction is not triggered because there is no restriction.
Decentralization · passes
The bill does not consolidate decision-making upward. It adjusts repayment terms for a federal project that already exists, and the change is administrative in nature. It does not prevent individuals, communities, or states from handling water delivery; it merely alters the financial terms of a federal contract. The project itself is federal, so federal involvement is already established and appropriate.
Due process and takings · passes
The bill does not deprive anyone of property or liberty without due process. It does not take property for public use without just compensation. It only reduces payments owed to the federal government, which is a benefit to the affected communities, not a deprivation.
Provenance
- Congress.gov: HR 131 summary · fetched 2026-10-08 · official page ↗
Version history · never overwritten
| Grade | Graded | Rubric | Source hash | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A · #818 | 2026-10-13 | vfa-constitutional-grade/1.0 | 4344452e8dfe | current |
Cite this
Values for America. “Constitutional grade: H.R. 131, Finish the Arkansas Valley Conduit Act.” VFA Constitution Index, grade 818 (rubric vfa-constitutional-grade/1.0), graded October 13, 2026. https://www.valuesforamerica.com/constitution-index/grades/818. Accessed 2026-10-20.
Permalink: https://www.valuesforamerica.com/constitution-index/grades/818
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