Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015

Floor Speech

Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Chairman, my colleague from California has it right. California is in a severe drought, as well as half a dozen other States, including Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Georgia, Oregon, and Nevada.

The intent of this amendment is to signal to the Department of Agriculture to move some money out of the salaries and the support for the Farm Service Agency and over to the Emergency Conservation Program. We know $11 million isn't going to do it, but it is a good start, and it is a signal that we need to send.

I know that, in my own district, we normally have over 500,000 acres of rice. This year, it will be 300,000 acres of rice planted. We have tens of thousands of acres of walnuts and almonds. Many of those orchards are going to die, unless there is an opportunity to provide for the emergency conservation programs that will be needed. Those are wells, pumps, and other systems.

We ought to do this. I urge an ``aye'' vote on this amendment. It moves money from one account to another account and back to the original account.

This is a messaging amendment. I ask for your ``aye'' vote.

Mr. McNERNEY. Mr. Chairman, our farmers need the assistance right now. I am glad that the House appears to be ready to take a vote.

I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes,'' and I yield back the balance of my time.

The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. McNerney).

The amendment was agreed to.

AMENDMENT OFFERED BY MR. GARAMENDI

Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.

The Clerk read as follows:

Page 20, line 10, after the dollar amount, insert ``, of which $50,000,000 shall be for the emergency conservation program under title IV of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2201 et seq.)''.

The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 616, the gentleman from California and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.

The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.

Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Chairman, I love messaging, and I appreciate the House acquiescing to the previous amendment that is a messaging amendment.

Now, let's do something. Let's not just send a message. Let's send $50 million to the Department of Agriculture's Emergency Conservation Program, so that they can carry out an absolutely essential task, which is to assist farmers in States such as California, Nevada, Oregon, New Mexico, Texas, and Georgia. Those States are all experiencing drought. There will be others as this year progresses.

The money can be used immediately to set up water conservation programs. For example, earlier today, a research program that has been administered by the Department of Agriculture that has proven in several States, such as Maryland, Georgia, California, and others, is using modern technology like soil moisture sensing devices, coupled directly with irrigation systems that can be turned on when the plant needs water, not when the irrigator needs water.

Those systems can save between 20 and 40 percent of the normal consumption in the agricultural sector. That applies to virtually every kind of plant that might be grown.

It certainly applies in my own district with those almond orchards that are now without an adequate supply of water. If this was available to them now--as it could be if we were to pass this amendment and the appropriation bill--those farmers could then access this money, put in place those water conservation technologies, and stretch their supply, allowing them to keep their orchards alive.

God forbid that we have another drought.

Under the present scenario, thousands of orchards in California will die for lack of water, but if we can save this year and next year 20 to 40 percent of the water that is available, which is possible if we actually enact this legislation and provide the kind of incentive--in this case, 75 percent Federal, 25 percent farmer--we could keep those orchards alive.

So I appeal to my colleagues that we allow this to be done. The money comes from the overall account that is within the Department that provides for administrative expenses and salaries. Move it from there over to this conservation account. That money would then be available to farmers to use.

We ought to do this. We have other drought legislation that has moved through this House and went to the Senate, but there is no money in those accounts--well, we have the money.

The question is: Are we willing to make it available for farmers in any State where there is a drought emergency?

I would ask for your ``aye'' vote on this, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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