Napolitano’s Floor Statement on Water Infrastructure Bill

Dec 8, 2016 Issues: Transportation, Water

(Washington, DC) Today, Rep. Grace F. Napolitano (D-El Monte), delivered the following remarks on the House Floor during consideration of S. 612, the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act, a critical water infrastructure and jobs bill for Southern California:

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Water Resources Development Act. I strongly support the bipartisan work done by the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on the Army Corps provisions that create policy and authorize projects around the country for flood damage reduction, ecosystem restoration, water supply, recreation, and navigation.

I am particularly appreciative that this bill authorizes the Los Angeles River project which will rejuvenate the river by improving wildlife habitat and creating recreational opportunities for Southern California residents. 

I thank Chairman Shuster, Ranking Member DeFazio, and Chairman Gibbs for working with me and staff to include multiple provisions that will improve water supply and local collaboration at Army Corps facilities.  

These provisions include: Providing more water supply to local communities by requiring the Corps to capture more water for groundwater replenishment, especially at dams in Los Angeles County; Promoting local and private sector combined efforts to remove sediment from Corps dams and improve water supply, which will benefit all dams including Santa Fe Dam in my district; Requiring the Corps to work more collaboratively with local communities on sharing water data and improving watershed management; and Extending donor port provisions in current law important to the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, and the Southern California economy.

I also support the provisions in this bill that will provide assistance to the drinking water crisis in Flint, MI and other areas of the Country including California, although we should be investing more in our outdated drinking water infrastructure.

I disagree with the leadership’s decision to add a California water provision to WRDA at the last minute.  This provision should have been addressed as its own legislation and not attached to the traditionally bipartisan WRDA bill that so many Members including Sen. Boxer have worked so hard on. If I had been consulted on this provision, I would have strongly advocated for more than $50 million for Title XVI water recycling and $100 million for WaterSMART, as these programs are the most cost effective at addressing our drought crisis. 

I want to thank local water agencies including the Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District, the Three Valleys Municipal Water District, the San Gabriel Valley Water Association, and the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California that have worked with my office on this bill throughout the process, and overwhelmingly support WRDA.  I greatly respect and recognize that there are Members who disagree on final passage based on the needs of their own districts and constituents.

S. 612 was passed by the House today with large bipartisan support by a vote of 360 to 61. Napolitano is the Ranking Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment, which has jurisdiction over the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the EPA Clean Water Act Programs.
 

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