Western Water and American Food Security Act of 2015

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. Chairman, I rise to express my strong opposition to H.R. 2898.

Many of my colleagues here in Washington have told me they don't want to get involved in the California water wars, and I don't blame them. I don't want them to get involved in the California water wars, but this legislation will do tremendous harm to the California delta, an area that I am privileged to represent.

Let's start with the facts. California is experiencing its driest year on record. In May, there was not even enough snowpack to measure. The United States Drought Monitor measured that about 46 percent of California is in an ``exceptional drought.''

The so-called drought bill does nothing to solve California's water issues or address drought across the West. Instead, it preempts State laws, reduces management flexibility, eliminates protection for salmon and other endangered species, and rolls back our Nation's fundamental environmental laws.

We need to look at real solutions and not waste time and resources recycling old, bad ideas. Moving more water south doesn't answer our problems. It hurts delta farmers and the salmon industry. We can't pick and choose our economies. We need to fight for all of them.

Let's be clear. My Republican colleagues are basing a lot of their arguments on the idea that environmental regulations send too much water to the ocean that otherwise could be used by communities. But according to the State Water Resources Control Board, in 2014, 72 percent of the delta outflow was required to control salinity so that the delta's water supply did not become too salty for agriculture or urban communities across the State.

If we override these laws, permanent damage will result for fishermen, farmers, families, and businesses throughout California. What I don't understand is why our Republican colleagues keep fighting against protections that preserve the quality of water for their constituents.

The Department of the Interior also opposes this bill because it would ``impede an effective and timely response to the continuing drought while providing no additional water to hard-hit communities.''

And California doesn't want Federal legislation to ``weaken State and Federal environmental protections ..... preempt State law ..... and favor one region of the State over another,'' which is exactly what this bill does.

We are a State known for innovation, and we have to support bold, forward-thinking solutions that create new water and don't pit regions of California against each other. We should be supporting water efficiency, storage, reuse, recycling, water management, innovative water projects, and long-term approaches to water shortages.

While this legislation will further disrupt a fragile delta and hurt its local economy, I, along with my colleagues, will be pushing for solutions that create more water and respond to the needs of the entire State.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

I want to ask my colleagues in the Great Lakes region and the Florida Everglades to pay attention. This bill, if passed, will set a new precedent for grabbing freshwater over any environmental protections. Your water could be next.

I urge my colleagues to oppose H.R. 2898.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source