On the recordFebruary 5, 2014
Mr. Chairman, I guess we have come to some agreement that the Government can't create water, and that is productive. I guess what I would say is that we are at 12 percent of snow pack in the Sierra Nevada, which has functioned as our water storage, and it is not there. What I would say is that over decades, the State, the Federal Government, the cities and agencies within California have worked to deal with a framework for addressing this kind of situation, and the bill, as it is constituted, would change that. All my amendment does is give some assurance to communities that in the event that there are water transfers that their particular water budgets would not be affected. I think it is a reasonable assurance to give. I think the author of the bill might suggest it is already there. If it is, let's codify it, and it will make the bill much better to provide that assurance to cities, counties, agencies and the State that has worked so hard for developing a framework for dealing with this very situation. I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from California (Mr. Valadao), the author of the measure. {time} 1715





