Rep. Huffman Opposes Divisive, Cynical House Republican Water Bill

Congressman Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael), Ranking Democrat on the Water, Power, and Oceans Subcommittee today led the effort to oppose a divisive, flawed, and cynical House Republican water bill that does not create new water and would do nothing to alleviate the effects of California's record drought.

Huffman offered a series of amendments to protect salmon fishing jobs, to protect tribal jobs, to protect water deliveries on the Trinity River and Humboldt county and downstream interests, and to support the San Joaquin River restoration settlement, which ended years of litigation, and was supported by farmers, the Bush administration, the state of California, and a coalition of environmental, fishing, and downstream interests.

"This bill is a warmed-over redux of the same divisive, partisan legislation that has gotten us nowhere for years," Huffman said. "Let's stop the political theater and get serious about solving problems and responding to the Western drought."

Earlier this week, Huffman introduced comprehensive legislation to respond to the worst drought in California state history. Last month, Huffman unveiled the draft legislation to the public and asked Californians to share comments and ideas to incorporate in the bill. The bill Huffman introduced in the House, the Drought Relief and Resilience Act, reflects the feedback of nearly 1,000 Californians from San Diego to Crescent City, Fresno to San Francisco, as well as farmers, environmentalists, fishermen, urban and rural Californians, and water managers throughout the country.

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