Sam Farr: “OK. Mr. Chairman, on my own time, the issue raised here is whether this amendment really does anything to the bill.…”

“OK. Mr. Chairman, on my own time, the issue raised here is whether this amendment really does anything to the bill. Remember, we are dealing with the issue of flood control projects. Flood control and the purpose of flood control is to control damage done by excessive water. I do not think that the amendment is material to really what the purpose of the bill is, which is to drive a hole in the Endangered Species Act by exempting from that act consultation for operations. Remember, there is nothing in the language in this bill that even mentions the word ``levee,'' yet everybody who got up and proposed it said that this was a levee bill. This is about operations of water facilities, operations forever, not just when it rains, not just when there is flood damage, it is operations. Operations is why so many people are concerned about this, particularly the fishermen. The reason, the gentleman from California knows, is that in California with the Sacramento River the whole issue of water flow releases is to try to control the water temperature so that we can maintain a salmon run. If there is not enough water, the water gets too warm and then the species that lives in that water cannot survive. So the purpose of trying to make sure that when we are operating a flood control district, that we consult in this process, is so that we get all of the concerns on the table.…”