Grace Napolitano: “As the chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment, I rise to…”

“As the chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment, I rise to celebrate Clean Water Week. I would like to take this opportunity to highlight the importance of water for our communities, not only in my home State of California, but across the country. Americans depend on clean water for their health, the health of their communities, and the health of the economy. Our water resources are precious, and every drop matters, which is why we need significant Federal investment in our Nation's infrastructure and strong Federal protections for our Nation's water resources. We need to protect our waterways, large and small, from pollution; ensure we conserve our water resources; recycle water where we can; and protect our groundwater resources for long-term reliance. There are tremendous clean water infrastructure needs facing our country. Our communities, large and small, urban and rural, and tribal, as well as our American families are facing great challenges in meeting these needs. Today, our Nation's network of sewers, stormwater conveyances, and treatment facilities are aging, often very outdated, and, in many places all over the country, not meeting the needs of our communities or water quality standards.…”