On the recordJune 15, 2017
Today, Energy and Commerce's Environment Subcommittee advanced a bill that would ram Yucca Mountain down the throats of Nevadans. Among its many faults, the bill usurps the State's water rights. Now, this is unethical, it is certainly intellectually dishonest, and it is probably unconstitutional. Republican lawmakers have long touted states' rights as a basic tenet of our democracy. What they must really mean is states' rights apply to their States but not to Nevada. They also took great pride in opposing the waters of the U.S. regulations, saying it was Federal overreach and outrageous power grab. Well, so much for principle. Now it is a different story. Taking a state's water rights sets a dangerous precedent. If they can do it to Nevada, they can do it to you. If they can take our water, they can take your water. In the West, we say that water is worth fighting for. Whiskey is for drinking. Well, we are not giving up this fight. ____________________
