Sean Reyes: “I rise in support of S. 1761, the Lower Rio Grande Valley Water Resources Conservation and Improvement Act of 1999. I am…”

“I rise in support of S. 1761, the Lower Rio Grande Valley Water Resources Conservation and Improvement Act of 1999. I am a cosponsor of the House companion bill. This legislation will allow for both the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture to work with state and local governments to make improvements to irrigation canals and pipelines; to build and install flow control structures in irrigation canals; and to begin the use of water meters in irrigation canals. These measures will result in water savings for the entire Valley region, from El Paso to Brownsville. The Rio Grande Valley of Texas which stretches from El Paso to Brownsville serves as the boundary between Mexico and the United States. It also has served as a major source of water supply for the region. These border cities are in danger of diminishing their water supplies. This bill is a stepping stone for these cities and counties to reinvent their water supply in order to ensure that future generations that reside in these areas are assured water for the future. Both the United States and Mexico must work together to implement these programs.”