Cliff Bentz

What is really going on here? The question is what is going on on the 3 million acres that would be removed from this protection.

This Administration has made matters worse by rewriting regulations on critical habitat and uplisting of species without appropriate safeguards.

Only 3 percent of listed species have been recovered, while existing listings and ESA regulations have been used as tools that many times harm communities.

This hearing is a much-needed focus on how the ESA is or is not working.

California is obviously terrifically important to America--40 million people, 15 percent of the nation's GDP.

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God.

Let me start again by thanking Representative Valadao and Representative Duarte for their help in organizing this important hearing.

I am grateful to be joined today by several Members who represent this region but who are not on the Natural Resources Committee.

The one thing that has happened that is of serious concern is the increased, not-anticipated demands on stored water.

I would suggest that that particular approach has been proven incorrect.

This is a necessity for most of those 78 million people.

Many people... don't understand that the western part of the United States is an arid and dry region.

The purpose of today's hearing is to talk about storage of water.

Many people...don't understand that the western part of the United States is an arid and dry region.

Many of the problems that are suggested in that 30-year-old book have been appropriately addressed.

About 78 million people living within it have to...store water to get through the spring, summer, and a portion of the fall months.

The western part of the United States is an arid and dry region.

About 78 million people living within it have to, for the most part...store water to get through the spring, summer, and a portion of the fall months.

The purpose today is to call out and review and, hopefully, improve the Endangered Species Act, now 50 years old.

Let me begin by saying how much I appreciate Chair Westerman giving me the opportunity to lead the Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee.

Hearing held on Wednesday, March 8, 2023.

I urge adoption of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

I urge adoption of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time

I just want to say how important this bill is, in part because of the incredibly valuable folks we have in my part of my State, including the Kitamuras, the Nagakis, the Maedas, the Nambas, the Saitos, the Itos, the Tanakas, the Teramuras…

The late Dean of the House, Don Young, introduced legislation aimed at ending this processing allowance and, unfortunately, that legislation is stuck in the Ways and Means Committee.