OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Conference Report On H.R. 3183, Energy And Water Development And Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010

Floor Speech

By: Jim Costa
By: Jim Costa
Date: Oct. 1, 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Energy

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Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Energy and Water conference report. By now I suspect all of the Members of the House understand the drought crisis affecting California, particularly in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley, a large part of my district. If this drought continues a fourth, fifth year, it could impact the entire State of California.

Among many of the items in this conference report are two amendments that Congressman Cardoza and I have been fighting hard for on behalf of our farmers, farmworkers and farm communities who are at ground zero as it relates to this drought crisis. Communities are having 30 and 40 percent unemployment, the most difficult situation they've ever faced. In July, we offered an amendment to bring drought relief to the San Joaquin Valley by providing funding for two projects. The 2-Gates project and the Intertie project, both of these projects were on the back burner for years. They should have been already implemented. This administration is moving forward to put these into construction next year.

The second amendment addresses impediments to transfers. Transfers are critical during drought conditions, both regulatory and that by Mother Nature. This gives the Bureau of Reclamation the flexibility needed to facilitate, and much more needs to be done.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman from California has expired.

Mr. PASTOR of Arizona. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman.

Mr. COSTA. I thank the gentleman from Arizona. This gives the flexibility for the Bureau of Reclamation to facilitate these water transfers. This year, we transferred over 6,000-acre-feet of water that was a critical lifeline. Much more needs to be done. I urge my colleagues to support these two amendments in this conference report. I thank the gentleman from Arizona for his support in these efforts.

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