Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.J. Res. 78 offered by Representative LaMalfa of California, which would undo the listing of the longfin smelt in the San Francisco Bay-Delta Distinct Population Segment under the Endangered Species Act. The listing was based on flawed science in response to an ESA-related lawsuit and adds yet another piece of regulatory red tape preventing water from reaching California's Central Valley and communities further south. California's Central Valley is one of the most prolific agricultural regions in the world, growing hundreds of crops that feed millions of people. However, this region faces continual water uncertainty due to drought and ESA-related regulations. The Central Valley Project, or CVP, transports water from wetter areas in northern California to drier areas further south, including the Central Valley. It is subject to ESA biological opinions that mandate water that would otherwise go to communities and farms be diverted to the San Francisco Bay. The effects of this can be seen at this very moment in California where Federal reservoirs are almost full, yet many farmers are only receiving half of their water allocations. This is in large part due to restrictions imposed by the ESA, which will only be exacerbated by the listing of the longfin smelt. Unfortunately, the rush to judgment that ensued from the lawsuit resulted in a listing based on flawed assumptions and bad science.…”