Political Quotes

“I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. LaMalfa) for yielding and for working with me on this amendment as well, which will assist our Klamath project farmers in the Klamath Basin. As you pointed out, there is a long history of water issues in this basin and there is much work to be done. Frankly, a basin-wide, long-term solution is what is most needed. While we are working toward that solution, these issues remain. In the interim, it is critical that we pass this amendment to simply formalize the rule of the Klamath project irrigators by giving them applicant status for ESA consultations. The Klamath project contractors have existing contracts with the Bureau of Reclamation, and they are directly affected by Reclamation's consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service. In recent years, as you mentioned, the Klamath project contractors have provided input to the section 7 consultations through the invitation of the Klamath tribes. I would like to thank the Klamath tribes and especially Klamath Tribal Chairman Don Gentry for working with the project contractors through this process. So passing this amendment would only formalize the practice that has already been occurring and ensure the project contractors could continue this process in the future.…”