Louie Gohmert: “I rise in support of H.R. 1855 and yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this legislation, sponsored by…”

“I rise in support of H.R. 1855 and yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this legislation, sponsored by our California colleague and former Water and Power Subcommittee Chair George Radanovich, authorizes the Bureau of Reclamation to participate in the design and construction of the Madera Water Supply and Enhancement Project. Due to a rapidly growing population and lawsuits filed, once again we hear about those lawsuits filed by San Francisco-based environmental organizations, the San Joaquin Valley of California faces increasing demands on its limited water supply. If excess water in the San Joaquin River exists, this project would store those flows in a nearby aquifer underneath the 13,000-acre Madera Ranch. This stored water bank could prove critical to meeting demands in dry years. This legislation also unilaterally declares the project feasible, which is something the bureaucracy would normally take years and much paperwork to decide. We commend the majority for agreeing to this rarely-used congressional declaration for a water storage project. With that, Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend my colleague across the aisle again, a Member of Congress with true grace and class. I appreciate her work on these bills, and I urge my colleagues to support this particular legislation. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.”