Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of America's Water Infrastructure Act. This bill revitalizes our waterways, bolsters flood protection, and ensures our channels and harbors can supply America and the world with U.S. goods. Most importantly, this bill includes my New WATER Act, a provision that will help us to build new water storage in California. The last time we built anything of substance in California for water storage was 1979. We have waited 50 years--50 years--because we don't have Federal financing and Federal authorization. Finally, under this bill, the New WATER Act will set up a bank for financing for these water storage projects, and we can finally get some of these big reservoirs under way: Shasta, raising Shasta; building Sites Reservoir, which has been studied for decades; building Los Vaqueros; building Temperance Flat. It is time to build water storage in California. We need to be solving our own problems, and the New WATER Act helps us with that financing. Below-ground water storage projects, water recycling, and desalination projects are also eligible. We want to look at all water in California, but this allows us a Federal financing plan to match State and local dollars as well. Also, I included the lower San Joaquin County Army Corps chief's report in this bill to enhance flood protection for more than 50,000 valley residents in San Joaquin County.…”