Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I rise today to speak about the historic drought that is devastating California and much of the West and to introduce the California Emergency Drought Relief Act along with Senator Boxer. The toll on some of our most vulnerable communities is mounting. As of July, 2,091 wells are already dry or will soon run out of water. This puts more than 10,000 people in jeopardy. Rural and disadvantaged communities are some of the hardest hit. Just this month, the Washington Post reported that arsenic had been found in wells serving St. Anthony's mobile home park in the Coachella Valley at twice the safe concentration. In Porterville, Californians are bathing themselves with bottled water. California is also suffering a massive loss of agriculture production. A study from UC Davis estimates that farmers will fallow 563,000 acres in 2015, a 35 percent increase from last year when farmers fallowed 410,000 acres. The State's agriculture sector stands to lose $1.8 billion in direct agricultural costs this year, on top of $1.5 billion last year. The San Joaquin Valley is at the epicenter of the drought, and the possible damage to our nation's food supply is dire. The Valley is home to 90 percent of the country's tomatoes, 74 percent of our lettuce, and 95 percent of our broccoli. The drought's effects on the Valley will extend far beyond California's borders. But the devastating consequences of this drought aren't limited to a single region.…”