Doris Matsui: “I wish to thank the gentleman from Florida for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 3964.…”

“I wish to thank the gentleman from Florida for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 3964. California is currently experiencing a record drought. Up until just last Thursday, it had been 54 days without rain in my district of Sacramento. That is almost 2 months. To put this in context, Sacramento is experiencing a 130-year record for low rainfall, a record that dates back to 1884. With 2013 being the driest year on record since the Gold Rush, and 2014 being the third year of a drought cycle, we are being pushed to make do with less water than ever before. A statewide drought emergency has been declared, and my district of Sacramento is doing its part by instituting a mandatory reduction in water use. My constituents are required by law now to reduce their water use 20 to 30 percent. Fines for multiple offenders will reach $1,000. Moreover, in the Sacramento region, the Folsom Reservoir is at dangerously low levels and is currently only at 17 percent of capacity. Unfortunately, there is no silver bullet to solving California's water issues. The issue of water in California has been debated for so many decades because it is such a critical issue for the State. As a daughter of a Central Valley farmer who grew up on a farm, I deeply understand the value of and the controversy over water. In northern California, we have done our best to balance our watershed to provide water for our farms, cities, and habitat.…”