Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Emergency Water Delivery Act

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Emergency Water Delivery Act.

Albert Einstein is quoted as saying:

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

That just about sums up California's water policy today. Time and time again, we have let Californians down by diverting water away from our communities because of Federal practices based on unfair priorities.

California is headed toward an economic calamity unless meaningful action is taken. Ongoing drought conditions combined with regulatory restrictions have placed a tremendous strain on California water supplies. Today, we are offering a first step to a solution to the devastating drought that California is facing.

This is not just a California problem. The Central Valley of California produces a significant amount of our Nation's crops. The devastation caused by this drought will reverberate through the country in the form of soaring food prices.

Water officials across the State are taking responsible steps to ramp up conservation efforts and stretch every drop of water that we do have. Unfortunately, Congress and our Federal regulatory agencies have failed to take a similar approach during these trying times. With our State facing an unprecedented water shortage, it is time for Congress to end the regulatory restrictions that are outdated and ineffective.

Like many Californians, I am tired of seeing millions and millions of gallons of water that could go to the people of California instead being dumped in the Pacific Ocean because of Federal regulations that punish families, farmers and the economy. It has been mentioned here just last year that 800,000 acre feet of water was flushed in the ocean during unprecedented rains. We should never be wasting that amount of water when people are suffering from a drought.

Today, the House can change that equation, restore balance between protecting the environment and provide water to the people who need it.

I want to thank and commend my colleague, David Valadao, for his passion and leadership on this issue. He has been here only a short time, but he is already making a tremendous impact on the Central Valley.

I urge all my colleagues to support this bill.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source