Doris Matsui: “I want to thank my colleague from Colorado for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, I have been a tireless advocate on behalf…”

“I want to thank my colleague from Colorado for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, I have been a tireless advocate on behalf of Sacramento's flood protection priorities. Sacramento is the most at- risk metropolitan area for major flooding, as it lies at the confluence of two great rivers, the Sacramento and the American. The city is home to California's State Capitol, an international airport, the State's water and electric grids and over a half million people. If Sacramento were to flood, the economic damages would range between $28 and $40 billion. The consequences of such a flood would be felt across the Nation. Even in this austere budget environment, it is critical that Sacramento's basic flood protection needs are met. I want to applaud the Energy and Water appropriations subcommittee for including funding for Sacramento's top flood protection projects. Each one of these projects is a critical component to improving the flood protection for the entire Sacramento region. Taken together, the completed projects will bring us closer to the level of flood protection that families and businesses throughout the region need and deserve. Moreover, these projects are already in the midst of construction. A lapse of funding would not only postpone the safety that the completed projects will provide but would also increase project costs, something that we cannot afford.…”