Tim Walz: “Mr. Chairman, thank you to the chairman and the ranking member of this committee as we debate a very important piece of…”

“Mr. Chairman, thank you to the chairman and the ranking member of this committee as we debate a very important piece of legislation in the Energy and Water appropriations bill. I would like to talk specifically about an issue that is vitally important to literally hundreds of thousands of people in Minnesota, South Dakota, and Iowa. The Lewis and Clark Rural Water System is a unique water project that I am hopeful will receive the appropriate funding as the Energy and Water appropriations bill moves forward. This Lewis and Clark water project, when completed, will provide safe, reliable drinking water to over 300,000 people in roughly 5,000 square miles of South Dakota, Iowa, and Minnesota. The project will move water from the Missouri River into those areas to provide safe drinking water and the ability of those communities to grow economically. The lack of water has a profound impact on economic development. Businesses are reluctant to locate or expand because of the lack of reliable water.”