Jared Huffman: “Again, we don't oppose this technical amendment, but we wish that there were substantive amendments that might address…”

“Again, we don't oppose this technical amendment, but we wish that there were substantive amendments that might address some of the deep flaws that have prevented this bill from having any chance of becoming law in prior years and will again this year. I will just close by quoting from the Los Angeles Times. It states: A competing Democratic bill, H.R. 2983 by Representative Jared Huffman, has some areas of overlap. Like the Valadao bill, it reasonably calls on the Federal Government to accelerate feasibility studies for a number of proposed dams that have been stuck for years in the planning phase. Republicans, of course, have faith that the dams will pencil out and will be funded. Many Democrats are convinced that the yield numbers--the amount of additional water that would be stored and the associated dollar cost--would be so paltry as to finally put an end to the discussion. In other areas, though, the Huffman bill is starkly different and, frankly, much smarter, focusing on updating Federal water policies and practices that today are firmly rooted in outdated, mid-20th century knowledge and technology. There is a lot we could be working on together substantively. We certainly have no problem with the technical changes here, but it is high time that we have hearings and serious deliberations and discussions about substance. If we do that, we might just find that there are some common solutions that could become law. I yield back the balance of my time. Mr.…”