On the recordJuly 10, 2014
We either believe that this critical drought in California and other Western States, the most extreme drought that many of us have seen in our lifetime, we either believe it is a national crisis and a national priority, or we don't. A few months ago, House Republicans put forward a bill that represented itself as a response to this drought, and yet it offered no immediate relief to the folks who are suffering in California. Instead, what it did is hack away at environmental laws and try to do some violence to 100 years of deference to State policy on water rights and otherwise pick winners and losers in ways that was not responsive to this drought. What this amendment offers, though, is something that can make an immediate difference. The water that we save through conservation, the water that we can save in the years ahead through water recycling, is some of the firmest, most reliable, most cost-effective water that you can provide. It is one of the smartest investments you can make in a State like California. We need it to respond to this drought, and we need it to make our water supplies more reliable and resilient for future droughts, which we know are coming with more severity and more frequency. I will close by urging my colleagues to vote ``yes'' for this important amendment which does respond to the critical drought that is facing California and other Western States. I yield back the balance of my time. The CHAIR.…
