Continental Divide Trail Completion Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. HORSFORD. Madam Chair, it is great to see the gentlewoman in the chair. I thank Chairman Grijalva for bringing this important bill to the floor, and I applaud the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Neguse), my friend and colleague, for leading this legislation.

Madam Chair, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5118, the Wildfire Response and Drought Resiliency Act.

As a native of Las Vegas, I grew up with frequent trips to Lake Mead, which is part of my district. That is why it is heartbreaking to see levels at Lake Mead at their lowest point since the reservoir was first filled in 1937. It is currently only 27 percent full.

Madam Chair, Nevada and much of the U.S. West has experienced a very hot and dry summer, fueling drought and even fires in some areas.

In this year's appropriation bill, we secured $6 million for the Lake Mead/Las Vegas Wash program to directly address the falling water levels, and this legislation, the Wildfire Response and Drought Resiliency Act, will further address some of the issues being caused by this heat and drought.

This package represents 49 individual Member bills, bringing together many great ideas and solutions to the problem.

Madam Chair, it establishes new hiring authorities and minimum basic pay for the brave men and women who serve as wildland firefighters.

It provides $500 million to prevent key reservoirs, like Lake Mead, from declining to unsafe levels.

It invests in drought-proof water infrastructure, like water recycling and desalinization projects.

This legislation also secures water reliability for Indian Country, investing $1 billion in Tribal clean water access.

And it will support the development of modern water management data and technology.

H.R. 5118 will protect and restore important ecosystems, and I encourage this body to pass this legislation.

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