On the recordMarch 13, 2014
I am very pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. McClintock). Mr. McCLINTOCK. Madam Chairman, this amendment creates two different classes of citizens: ski resorts and everybody else. It leaves the portion of the bill that protects ski resorts from being forced to relinquish their water rights as a condition of continuing to operate in the Federal forests, and that is good, but then it creates a tier of second class citizens. Unless you own a ski resort, you are fair game for the same demands by these Federal agencies to either give up your water rights or be forced out of business. For example, our subcommittee heard testimony from Randy Parker. He is the CEO of the Utah Farm Bureau. He told us that the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management have threatened to force farmers that have grazing allotments to give up their water rights as a condition of continuing to use the public lands. In some cases, these are permits that family businesses have held for generations. The water rights are accorded to them under State law. The Federal Government has no right to usurp that law or to force anybody into the Hobson's choice of closing their business or surrendering their water rights. This amendment is an affront to the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment, as well as to the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment.…
