George P. Kazen Federal Building and United States Courthouse

Floor Speech

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Mr. Speaker, I have witnessed a pattern of attacks against the Endangered Species Act as well as attacks on our industries and communities that rely on the California delta. House Republicans continue to attach environmentally damaging California water riders to every single piece of legislation that is moving on this floor. This time, it is on S. 612, the WIIN Act, also known as the WRDA bill.

This highly controversial language was developed behind closed doors, and it jeopardizes the Senate bipartisan bill that Senator Boxer and Senator Inhofe have worked on very hard, but Senator Boxer is now willing to sacrifice all that work to stop this bill. I strongly support the original bill, which includes some very good stuff.

I also want to recognize Mr. Kildee, my colleague who has worked very hard on behalf of his constituents in Flint, Michigan.

I support the provisions in this bill that will provide assistance to the drinking water crisis in Flint and other areas of the Nation that need upgraded drinking water infrastructure.

But as long as the California so-called drought language remains, my State and the Pacific Coast are at risk. This California water rider would further degrade the California delta. It weakens protections for California fisheries; threatens thousands of fishing industry jobs, as we have heard, even up to the coast of Oregon; increases saltwater intrusion; and it picks winners and losers in my State.

This provision will provide freedom to export water above and beyond what the ESA currently allows. This will cause further saltwater intrusion into the delta. You know, farmers do not benefit when saltwater contaminates our water supplies.

If we truly believe in sound science, we should not override science with local interests that do not represent the entire State.

The administration and its agencies have serious concerns with this language. This rider will not create a path forward for effective operations but, instead, will create a firestorm of litigation.

Environmental organizations, the fishing industry, the fisheries believe this language will devastate our way of life on the Pacific Coast.

I, along with California, Oregon, and Washington Members, have urged the House and Senate leadership to reject similar riders in the past. I have had an opportunity to submit amendments to strip these riders in the past, but we do not have that opportunity today.

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Republicans should not hold funding for water infrastructure projects hostage. Instead of pitting communities against each other, we need to support conservation, storm water capture, and innovative recycling programs. We need real drought solutions that will actually improve water supply.

This is not a compromise. It sets a precedent for the next administration to further unravel environmental protections. I urge a ``no'' vote.

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