From Congressman Valadao’s website:
Congressmen David G. Valadao (CA-21) , Devin Nunes (CA-22), and Kevin McCarthy (CA-23) led the entire California GOP delegation in introducing a comprehensive bill in Congress to resolve the water crisis in California.
H.R. 3964, the Sacramento–San Joaquin Valley Emergency Water Delivery Act restores water reliability to California communities by codifying the bipartisan Bay-Delta Accord. It also reforms onerous federal laws – such as the Central Valley Project Improvement Act and the San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act – that have severely curtailed water deliveries and resulted in hundreds of billions of gallons of badly needed water being flushed into the ocean.
“Since taking office, ensuring the Central Valley has reliable access to clean, high-quality water has been my number one priority,” said Rep. Valadao. “My district represents a cross-section of San Joaquin Valley water users, as it is home to contractors on both the East and West sides of the Valley, senior water rights holders and State Water Project contractors. My constituents are suffering from drought conditions severely exacerbated by erroneous federal regulations. Families and farmers alike are not receiving the water they need to meet their basic, every day needs. California’s 21st Congressional District is the epicenter of devastation and I, along with my Central Valley colleagues, will do everything in my power to ensure a real solution at the federal level.”
“The House has once again proposed a solution to the debilitating water problem that has suppressed economic growth in our communities and cost thousands of people their livelihoods,” said Rep. Nunes. “The time for talk is over. The House has acted, and it’s time for the Senate to join us in providing critical assistance to the people of California.”
“The current California drought is a crisis exacerbated by the failure of government to ensure water flows to our communities and farms,” said Rep. McCarthy. “Today, led by my good friend Rep. David Valadao, the entire California Republican delegation in the House introduced legislation to put families before fish. One more day cannot go by without addressing the shortage of a resource so precious to our economy and wellbeing. It is time, as representatives for the entire state, that Senator Boxer and Senator Feinstein support drought stricken Californians and get behind this legislation.”
Read more here: California GOP Reps Unite on Water Bill
Senator Feinstein reponds:
“Today’s bill is another irresponsible proposal that puts politics ahead of the needs of California, and candidly, it’s very disappointing. The bill is nothing more than a recycled version of legislation from 2011, and it is profoundly dangerous for California.
“The bill undermines state law related to Bay Delta restoration and endangered species. It overrides the court-approved San Joaquin River Settlement Agreement, which all parties involved still agree with. And it ends any possibility of a balanced solution to restore the Bay Delta.
“Just last week I told Congressmen McCarthy, Valadao and Nunes I was interested in working with them to develop a serious proposal that would address the problem and could pass Congress. I agreed with their idea for a joint Senate-House committee to address supply issues and offered to bring new ideas to the table. But instead of working productively for solutions, Valley Republicans tossed aside their own new ideas and returned to the broken ideas they have championed for nearly three years.
“This bill is disingenuous, it is irresponsible and it is dangerous. I truly hope Valley farmers speak out against this ugly example of politics as usual and demand that Valley Republicans quit the games and fulfill their responsibilities as legislators.”
