Raúl Grijalva: “I regret that, once again, we are here today to discuss a divisive, last-minute attempt by House Republicans to jam…”

“I regret that, once again, we are here today to discuss a divisive, last-minute attempt by House Republicans to jam through destructive legislation that favors House Republicans' special interests, industry friends at the expense of everybody else. This week, I and nearly every one else saw for the first time a newly inserted 100-page rider that would weaken protections for West Coast fisheries, primarily to redirect water to large corporate farms in one section of California. This rider threatens the jobs of thousands of fishermen and others across the West Coast who depend on healthy fish runs for their livelihoods. My colleagues and I will be voting today, soon, on a 100-page proposal that has not been reviewed by the numerous affected stakeholders, the committees of jurisdiction, nearly every Member of Congress, or the general public. This rider fundamentally threatens the original WRDA bill that had bipartisan support in the House and bicameral support as well. What makes things worse is this poison pill rider now jeopardizes the approval of several pending Indian water rights settlements that are included in the original WRDA bill. The tribes whose water settlements are now jeopardized by this poison pill have been waiting, in many cases, to settle their claims for decades and even more. Just one of the water settlements jeopardized by the House Republicans' latest stunt is for the Blackfeet Nation.…”