Bureau of Reclamation Transparency Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Montana for yielding me the time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 660, the Bureau of Reclamation Transparency Act.

This bicameral, bipartisan legislation increases transparency, consolidates multiple reports, and requires the Bureau of Reclamation, the BOR, to do a thorough inventory of its assets, as well as prioritize major repairs necessary at the agency's facilities.

This bill has a strong history of bipartisan support. It was approved unanimously by the Senate in the 113th Congress, with Senators Barrasso and Schatz ushering passage. The previous administration testified in strong support of the bill last Congress.

This Congress, the Trump administration testified in strong support of the Senate bill, which is identical to the House bill.

The bill has five Democratic cosponsors and 15 Republican cosponsors. The bill passed the House Committee on Natural Resources by unanimous consent. Senator Barrasso and Senator Schatz are again spearheading the Senate companion, and the Senate bill has passed the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

For more than a century, the Bureau of Reclamation has transformed the West into a powerhouse that feeds the Nation and the world while also providing renewable, emissions-free energy for millions of Americans.

BOR provides essential services that benefit water and power users, as well as our Nation's farmers. The agency delivers water to more than 30 million people and provides one in five Western farmers with water to irrigate their crops.

The BOR's assets include more than 476 dams and dikes, and the agency is also responsible for the operations of 53 different hydroelectric power plants.

This legislation is timely and necessary. The Bureau of Reclamation was established in 1902, and much of the agency's now-aging infrastructure was built more than 50 years ago. Many of the facilities operated by the BOR are in desperate need of repairs, to the tune of several billion dollars.

This bill requires the Federal Government make public the estimated cost of repairs for reclamation facilities. For years, Congress and water users throughout the country have asked for such information, only to be rebuffed time and again.

Taxpayers deserve accountability from their government and oversight on how it spends their money. Sunshine on expenditures and increased transparency is good for any Federal bureaucracy or agency.

The Bureau of Reclamation Transparency Act requires a cost estimate and a detailed list of major repairs for BOR facilities. Such actions will allow for meaningful steps to be taken to address the maintenance backlog, as well as to ensure an abundant supply of clean water and power for future generations.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the committee's time and work on this bill, and I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 660.

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