California Water Legislation

On February 5, 2014 the House passed  H.R. 3964, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Emergency Water Delivery Act, a  long-term solution to the current water crisis in California that has been exacerbated by misguided policies from Sacramento and Washington, D.C. Californians are suffering from one of the worst droughts to hit our state in over a century and in the face of fallowed farmland and rising food prices, failing to act is simply not an option.

The House-passed legislation restores a bipartisan 1994 agreement that strikes an appropriate balance between protecting the Delta environment and providing communities south of the Delta with critical water supplies. The bill ensures that when it rains or snows, water our communities contract and pay for is directed south so that we can use it and store it to prepare for future droughts.

Current policy has left much to be desired. Today our families, farmers and businesses are paying 100 percent for water they never receive, jeopardizing the ability of California farmers and laborers to work and grow the food that feeds the nation; that is a value that no government subsidy or handout can substitute.

The House how now passed California water legislation for the second time in two years. Fortunately, the Senate has now also acted on California water legislation. While not a comprehensive solution, Senate passage now enables the House and Senate to begin negotiating a solution that allows water to flow to central and southern California and enables us to store more water during wet years for use in dry years. Californians deserve a reliable and affordable supply of water, and I will work to achieve this as the legislative process continues.