John Curtis: “I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, the Great Salt Lake Stewardship…”

“I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, the Great Salt Lake Stewardship Act. The Great Salt Lake is essential to the ecological and economic fabric of Utah. Residents have worked tirelessly to protect the lake, but severe drought now threatens its long-term survival. Recognizing this urgent challenge, the Great Salt Lake Stewardship Act would extend the existing Colorado River Water Conservation Program to include the Great Salt Lake. This would grant the Secretary of the Interior greater flexibility to allocate unused funds from other sections of the Central Utah Project Completion Act, also known as CUPCA, to the water conservation program. By expanding the program's geographical scope to cover the entire Great Salt Lake drainage basin, the bill would support State government of Utah, local communities, and water districts north of Salt Lake County in their conservation efforts to replenish the lake. The Great Salt Lake is a national treasure and a vital part of Utah's way of life. The bill demonstrates our commitment to protecting this valuable resource without requiring new Federal funds.”