Steve Pearce: “I rise in support of S. 437. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Pombo) and the ranking…”

“I rise in support of S. 437. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Pombo) and the ranking member, the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall), along with the subcommittee chairman, the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert), and the ranking member, the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Napolitano), for their hard work in getting an agreement that allows us to vote on this important water settlement bill today. I would also like to pay tribute to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Hayworth) and the Arizona delegation in anticipation of receiving the same from them in this bill. In the 1968 Colorado River Basin Project Act, New Mexico was apportioned 18,000 acre feet of Gila River water. The Gila River's headwaters are in New Mexico and, therefore, New Mexicans always felt like they had claim to some of this water. However, we had not been able to use any of it, and it has simply been paper water. New Mexicans have long sought to develop this water and because of their willingness to negotiate in good faith and compromise with the State of Arizona and downstream water users, we have now reached an agreement. That agreement is a bipartisan solution which I feel represents the best interests of both States. This historic water bill will not only provide a settlement to long-standing Indian water rights in Arizona, but it will also ensure Southwestern New Mexico gets the water it was apportioned in the 1968 Act.”