Political Quotes

“I rise today to speak about the Drought Resiliency and Water Supply Improvement Act, which Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) introduced today. I am the lead Democratic sponsor on the bill, and Senators Martha McSally (R-AZ) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) are also original cosponsors. Drought--increasingly severe and prolonged drought--is a stark reality for California and the West. Climate change presents a triple threat to our water supply: Higher temperatures causing a dwindling snowpack, increased evaporation and other effects that will reduce our natural storage and runoff. This could decrease flow in the Colorado River by 20% or more by mid-century and as much as 40% by the end of the century. Longer and more severe droughts, including perhaps as much as an 80% chance of a megadrought of 20 to 50 years' duration in the Colorado Basin during this century. Although this is more uncertain, the possibility of reduced overall precipitation, perhaps 10-15% less in California's Sierra Nevada mountains within the next 20-30 years. We must respond to this challenge.…”