"I appreciate the opportunity to testify about the threat nutria poses to the California Central Valley"
"That is why I have introduced a bill that invests $7 million now to help our community and our country get ahead of this issue before it is too late."
"If we don't combat this problem quickly, pretty soon we are going to be right here."
"By getting ahead of this problem now when it is still manageable, we are spending $7 million to eradicate this problem instead of spending $2.5 billion every single year like we are on feral hogs."
"By the time public awareness begins, eradication is very unlikely."
"I represent California's 10th Congressional District in the California Central Valley, and what I have noticed in our community is there are a lot of seeds of apprenticeship programs that are successf..."
"One of the things that I think I would love to really dive into is how you got the buy-in both from the government entities as well as from the employers themselves to invest such a significant amount..."
"I think the testimony that I have heard today has really confirmed the importance of apprentice programs, making sure that there is more routes to the middle class than just having a four-year degree ..."
"Our region's access to water allows us to deliver over half of America's fruits, nuts, and vegetables."
"We have an obligation to move quickly to invest, to prepare for the one that we know is just around the corner."
"If we commit to making these investments, we are going to protect not only the local needs of our valley, but the country's access to healthy, home-grown food."
"This is a public safety concern for the farmers, families, and water users across the state, and it's a concern for anyone across the country who eats our produce."