starttime 1255627795.67933
CONVERSATIONS OFF THE FLOOR.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: MEMBERS
IN THE AISLE WILL TAKE THEIR
CONVERSATIONS OFF THE FLOOR.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: FOR
WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE GENTLELADY
FROM CALIFORNIA RISE?
>> MADAM SPEAKER, I CALL UP
HUSE RESOLUTION 830 AND ASK FOR
ITS IMMEDIATE CONSIDERATION.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
HOUSE WILL COME TORD.
THE CLERK WILL REPORT THE
RESOLUTION.
THE CLERK: HOUSE RESOLUTION 830,
RESOLVED THAT UPON ADOPTION OF
THIS RESOLUTION, IT SHALL BE IN
ORDER TO CONSIDER IN THE HOUSE
THE BILL, H.R. 2442, TO AMEND
RECLAMATION WASTEWATER AND
GROUNDWATER STUDY AND FACILITIES
ACT, TO EXPAND THE BAY AREA REGIONAL WATER RECYCLING PROGRAM
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
ALL POINTS OF ORDER AGAINST
CONSIDERATION OF THE BILL ARE
WAIVED EXCEPT THOSE ARISING
UNDER CLAUSE 9 OR 10 OF RULE 21.
THE AMENDMENT PRINTED IN REPORT
OF THE COMMITTEE ON RULES
ACCOMPANYING THIS RESOLUTION
SHALL BE CONSIDERED AS ADOPTED.
THE BILL AS AMENDED SHALL BE
CONSIDERED AS READ.
ALL POINTS OF ORDER AGAINST
PROVISIONS IN THE BILL AS
AMENDED ARE WAIVED. THE PREVIOUS QUESTION SHALL BE
CONSIDERED AS ORDERED ON THE
BILL AS AMENDED TO FINAL PASSAGE
WITHOUT INTERVENING MOTION
EXCEPT, ONE, ONE HOUR OF DEBATE
EQUALLY DIVIDED AND CONTROLLED
BY THE CHAIR AND RANKING
MINORITY MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE
ON NATURAL RESOURCES, AND, TWO,
WITHOUT INSTRUCTION.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLELADY FROM CALIFORNIA IS
RECOGNIZED FOR ONE HOUR.
MS. MATSUI: FOR THE PURPOSE OF
DEBATE ONLY, I YIELD THE
CUSTOMARY 30 MINUTES TO THE
GENTLEMAN FROM FLORIDA, MY
FRIEND, MR. DIAZ-BALART.
ALL TIME YIELDED DURING
CONSIDERATION OF THE RULE IS FOR
DEBATE ONLY.
I YIELD MYSELF SUCH TIME AS I
MAY CONSUME.
I ALSO ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT
THAT ALL MEMBERS BE GIVEN FIVE
LEGISLATIVE DAYS IN WHICH TO
REVISE AND EXTEND THEIR REMARKS
ON HOUSE RESOLUTION 830.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
MS. MA
H.RES. 80 PROVIDES THE
CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 2442, THE
BAY AREA REGIONAL WATER
RECYCLING EXPANSION ACT OF 2009.
THE RULE PROVIDES ONE HOUR
GENERAL DEBATE CONTROLLED BY THE
COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES.
THE RULE MAKES TWO SMALL CHANGES
CLARIFYING THE FUNDING IN THE
BILL IS SUBJECT TO
APPROPRIATIONS AND MAKING A
PEERL TECHNICAL CORRECTION TO
THE SECTIN NUMBERING IN TH
BILL.
THE RULE ALSO PROVIDES ONE
MOTION TO RECOMMIT WITH OR
WITHOUT INSTRUCTION.
MADAM SPEAKER, I FIRST WANT TO
THANK CHAIRMAN MILLER AND
CHAIRMAN STARK AS WELL AS
REPRESENTATIVES ESHOO, HONDA,
WOOLSEY, LOCK RAN, NAPOLITANO
AND SPEAR FOR THEIR WORK ON THE
BILL.
I ALSO COMMEND SENATOR FEINSTEIN
IDENTICAL LEGISLATION IN THE
SENATE AND THEIR LEADERSHIP ON
THIS ISSUE.
AS THE ELECTED REPRESENTATIVE
FROM SACRAMENTO AND AS A
FAMER'S DAUGHTER FROM THE
CENTRAL VALLEY I UNDERSTAND THAT
WATER IS CRITICAL TO OUR STATE'S
ECONOMY -- STATES' ECONOMY AND
OUR WAY OF LIFE.
AFTER THREE YEARS OF DROUGHT,
PUMPING RESTRICTIONS AND LOST
JOBS FROM THE VALLEY TO COAST,
THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT IMPROVING
THE CAPABILITY OF WATER
RECYCLING WILL HELP ADDRESS
THESE PROBLEMS AND LESSEN THE
BURDEN ON THE BAY ECOSYSTEM.
WHILE RECYCLING IS NOT THE ONLY
WAY TO MEET THE BAY AREA AND
CALIFORNIA'S WATER REQUIREMENTS,
IT MUST BE PART OF OUR
COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION.
EFFECTIVE WATER USE WILL HELP
KEEP CALIFORNIA'S AGRICULTURE
ECONOMY STRONG AND THE DELTA
HEALTHY.
AND ENSURE THAT THE NEEDS OF
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA BUSINESSES,
FARMERS AND RESIDENTS ARE NOT
IGNORED.
UNDER TITLE 16 WATER RECYCLING
PROGRAM, H.R AUTHORIZE SIX ADITIONAL WATER
RECYCLING PROJECTS FOR THE BAY
AREA THAT WOULD PROVIDE $7 --
7.2 MILLION GALLONS OF WATER
DAILY AND SERVE 24,000
HOUSEHOLDS.
COLLECTIVELY THESE PROJECTS WILL
SAVE $2 -- 2.6 BILION GALLONS
OF WATER PER YEAR IN THE REGION,
OFFERING A NEW WATER SUPPLY OF
TREATED WASTEWATER FOR
INDUSTRIAL AN
SPECIFICALLY, THE BAY AREA
REGIONAL WATER RECYCLING PROGRAM
EXPANSION ACT WOULD AUTHORIZE
ASSISTANCE UNDER THE INTERIOR
DERTMENT'S BUREAU OF
RECLAMATION FOR THE PLANNING AND
CONSTRUCTION OF THESE NEW WATER
PROJECTS.
IT WOULD ALSO STAND THE
AUTHORIZATION FOR TWO EXISTING
PROJECTS.
H.R. 2442 WOULD STIPULATE THAT
THE FEDERAL SHARE OF THE COST OF
THE PROJECTS NOT EXCEED 25% OF
THE TOTAL COST AND BARS THE
DEPARTMENT FROM FUNDING
OPERATION OR MAINTENANCE OF THE
PROJECT.
IT IS IM
THIS LEGISLATION HAS BEEN
ENDORSED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF
CALIFORNIA WATER AGENCIES
INCLUDES EVERY MAJOR AGRICULTURE
AND URBAN WATER AGE IN THE
STATE.
AND REPRESENTS THE LARGEST
COALITION OF PUBLIC WATER
AGENCIES NATIONWIDE.
ADDITIONALLY, THE WATER REUSE
FOUNDATION, WHICH SERVES MORE
THAN 180 PUBLIC WATER AGENCIES,
CITIES AND MAJOR ENGINEER AND
TECHNOLOGY FIRMS, HAS URGED THAT
WE MOVE EXPEDITIOUSLY ON THE
BILL.
THESE GROUPS UNDERSTAND THAT NO
ONE
LOCAL PROJECTS ARE HELD HOSTAGE
BECAUSE OF DISPUTES OVER THE
OPERATIONS OF FEDERAL WATER
PROJECTS.
WE ALL KNOW THAT THERE ARE
SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT THE WATER
CRIS IN CALIFORNIA.
I WAS BACK HOME IN MY DISTRICT
OVER THE WEEKEND, MADAM SPEAKER,
AND EERYONAT HOME WAS TALKING
ABOUT A WATER DEAL, TRYING TO BE
NEGOTIATED BY THE LEGISLATURE
AND THE GOVERNOR.
THE LOCAL AND STATE LEVELS, ALL
THE WAY HERE TO WASHINGTON,
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT
IDEAS ABOUT HOW TO ADDRESS OUR
WATER ISSUES IN CALIFORNIA.
SOME OF THEM I PREFER MORE THAN
OTHERS.
AND SOME OF THEM I PREFER -- ARE
PREFERRED MORE THAN OTHERS BY MY
COLLEAGUES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF
THE AISLE.
BUT ONE THING IS FOR SURE,
LIMITING OUR STATE'S WATER
SUPPLY BY HOLDING A RECYCLING
PROJECT LIKE THOSE IN THIS BILL
WILL NOT SOLVE ANYTHING.
IN FACT, IT WILL ONLY PRONG
SOLUTIONS TO CALIFORNIA'S WATER
PROBLEMS.
FOR THESE REASONS I STRONGLY SU
UNDERLYING LEGISLATION AND I
URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO DO THE
SAME.
MADAM SPEAKER, AGAIN I WANT TO
THANK MR. MILLER AND THE
COMMITTEE FOR THE WORK ON THIS
BILL AND I RESERVE THE BALANCE
OF MY TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE GENTLEMAN FROM FLORIDA.
MR. DIAZ-BALART: THANK YOU.
I'D LIKE TO THANK MY FRIEND, THE
GENTLEWOMAN FROM CALIFORNIA, MS.
MATSUI, FOR THE TIME AND I YIELD
MYSELF SUCH TIME AS I MAY
CONSUME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED.
MR. DIAZ-BALART: MADAM SPEAKER, THREE WEEKS AGO THE HOUSE
CONSIDERED UNDER SUSPENSION OF
THE RULES H.R. 2442, THE BAY
AREA REGIONAL WATER RECYCLING
BUT THE BILL FAILED TO GET THE
NECESSARY 2/3 TO PASS.
THE REASON THAT BILL FAILED WAS
NOT BECAUSE MEMBERS OBJECTED TO
THE SUBSTANCE OF THE LEGISLATION
BUT BECAUSE THE MAJORITY
LEADERSHIP BROUGHT FORTH THE
UNDERLYING LEGISLATION THAT
PROVIDES WATER PROJECTS FOR THE
SAN FRANCISCO
CONSIDERATION BY THE HOUSE WHILE
BLOCKING THE HOUSE FROM DEBATING
THE DESPERATE NEED FOR WATER IN
ANOTHER PART OF CALIFORNIA, THE
SAN WITH A KEEN VALLEY.
ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, MY
COLLEAGUE FROM CALIFORNIA, MR.
NUNES, HAD SUBMITTED AMENDMENTS
TO THE RULES COMMITTEE SO THAT THOSE AMENDMENTS COULD BE
DEBATED AND VOTED ON BY THE FULL
HOUSE.
HIS AMENDMENTS WOULD RESTRICT
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
DECEMBER 15, 2008, BIOLOGICAL
OPINION ISSUED BY THE U.S. FISH
AND WILDLIFE SERVICE AND THE
JUNE 4, 2009, BIOLOGICAL ISSUED
BY THE NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES
SERVICE.
HOWEVER, MAJORITY ON THE RULES COMMITTEE ROUTINELY BLOCK
CONSIDERATION OF THE AMENDMENTS.
TWICE ON THE INTERIOR
APPROPRIATIONS BILL AND THREE
TIMES ON THE ENERGY AND WATER
APPROPRIATIONS BILL.
THE REASON MR. NUNES HAS SO
STEADFASTLY SOUGHT TO HAVE THE
HOUSE DEBATE THE RESTRICTION ON
THOSE TWO OPINIONS IS THAT THEY
HAVE DIVERTED WA JOAQUIN VALLEY, PRACTICALLY
TURNING THAT AREA INTO A DUST
BOWL.
MADAM SPEAKER, WHY SHOULD
CONGRESS BE CONCERNED WITH WHAT
MAY LOOK LIKE A SIMPLE WATER
ISSUE?
THE VALLEY IS HOME TO A $20
BILLION CROP INDUSTRY AND THE
REGION PRODUCES MORE IN
AGCULTURAL SALES THAN ANY
OTHER STATE IN THE COUNTRY.
IT CAN BE ARGUED THAT N AGRICULTURAL AREA IN THE COUNTRY
IS MORE PRODUCTIVE AND IS
THEREFORE MORE IMPORTANT TOWER
NATION'S FOOD SECURITY.
IF WE CONTINUE TO ALLOW THE
DIVERSION OF WATER FROM THE
VAEY, FOOD PRICES ARE GOING TO
INCREASE AND WE ALSO PUT OUR
FOOD SECURITY, THE NATIONAL
SECURITY, IN JEOPARDY.
ACCORDING COULD TO A RECENT
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DAVIS
STUDY, THE WATER REDUCTIONS HAVE
LED TO REVENUE LOSSES OF OVER $2
BILLION AND THIS YEAR
TO 80,000 JOBS LOST.
THE AREA NOW H
RATE OF ABOUT 20%.
SOME OF ITS COMMUNITIES HAVE AN
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE OF NEARLY 40%.
TODAY THE AJORITY COMES TO THE
FLOOR WITH A RULE THAT THE HOUSE
WIL ONCE AGAIN CONSIDER THE BAY
AREA REGIONAL WATER RECY
PROGRAM EXPANSION ACT WITHOUT
GIVING THE HOUSE THE OPPORTUNITY
TO CONSIDER AMENDMENTS INCLUDING
THOSE PROPOSED BY MR. NUNES.
THAT IS MOST UNFORTUNATE.
IT IS TIME THAT THE HOUSE BE
T JOAQUIN VALLEY WATER ISSUE.
I RESERVE.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLELADY FROM CALIFORNIA.
MS. MATSUI:
YIELD THREE MINUTES TO THE
GENTLEMAN FROM CALIFORNIA, THE
SPONSOR OF THE LEGISLATION, MR.
MILLER.
MAY I AMEND THAT, PLEASE?
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLELADY IS RECOGNIZED.
MS. MATSUI: MADAM SPEAKER, I
YIELD TWO MINUTES TO THE
MEMBER OF THE NATURAL RESOURCES
COMMITTEE, MRS. NAPOLITANO.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
G
MRS. NAPOLITANO: THANK YOU,
MADAM SPEAKER, AND THANK YOU,
MS. MATSUI.
I RISE TODAY IN STRONG SUPPORT
OF H.R. 2442, THE BAY AREA
REGIONAL WATER RECYCLING PROGRAM
EXPANSION ACT OF 2009.
THE BILL HAS RECEIVED EXTENSIVE
REVIEW AND BIPARTISAN APPROVAL
FROM THE SUBCOMMITTEE OF WATER
AND POWER AND WAS REPORTED ON A
BIPARTISAN BASIS FAVORABLY FROM
THE NATURAL RESOURCES COMITTEE.
WHEN I LISTENED TO MY COLLEAGUE,
I LISTENED TO MY COLLEAGUE ON
THE OTHER SIDE TALK ABOUT THE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS, YES,
THERE'S A GREAT NEED OF
ASS
BUT IT'S NOT ALWAYS SAN JOAQUIN.
AND THE FACT THAT THE DAM IS
GOING TO BE WANTING TO BE PUSHED
FORTH, I'LL AGREE, WE NEED
ADDITIONAL STORAGE.
BUT RIGHT NOW YOU NEED IMMEDIATE
RESULTS IN WATER -- AND WATER
RECYCLING IS ONE OF THE TOOLS
YU NEED.
H.R. 2442 PROVIDES NEW WATER TO
THE BAY AREA IN CALIFORNIA.
THE RECYCLING PROJECT WILL
PROVIDE $2.6 -- 2.6 BILLION
GALLONS OF WATER, NEARLY ENOUGH
TO MEET THE NEEDS OF 24,000
FAMILIES.
WHY DO WE STAND AGAINST WATER
FOR OTHER AREAS?
ALL OF US NEED ADDITIONAL WATER
IN CALIFORNIA.
WATER IS LIFE AND AS WE ALL ARE
VERY WELL AWARE, THE DROUGHT IN
CALIFORNIA HAS TAKE AN TERRIBLE
TOLL ON JOBS, ALL OVER THE
STATE. THE ECONOMY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
OF THE CENTRAL VALLEY AND
CALIFORNIA IN PARTICULAR.
IN A TIME WHEN OUR NATION PLEADS
LEADERSHIP AND OPTION TO MEET
OUR WATER REQUIREMENTS, H.R.
2442 PROVIDES A TOOL TO CREATE
IN THE PROCESS REDUCE THE AMOUNT
OF WATER IMPORTED FROM THE
SACRAMENTO AND BAY DELTA AREA.
THIS BILL AND THE PROJEC
AUTHORIZES WILL IMMEDIATELY
ADDRESS CALIFORNIA'S WATER
CRISIS THROUGH LOCAL ACTION AND
PROVIDE ECONOMIC RELIEF THROUGH
JOB CREATION.
IT WILL NOT SOLVE CALIFORNIA'S
WATER CRISIS AS MS. MATSUI
POINTED OUT, HOWEV
PROVIDE A VALUABLE AND IMPORTANT
TOL -- MAY I HAVE AN ADDITIONAL
15 SECONDS?
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLELADY IS RECOGNIZED.
MRS. NAPOLITANO: THANK YOU,
MADAM CHAIR.
IT PROVIDES A VALUABLE IMPORTANT
TOOL TO STRETCH THE EXISTING
WATER SUPPLY AND ADDRESS THE
CRITICAL WATER ISSUES OF OUR
STATE.
I URGE STRONGLY A YES VOTE AND
ENCOURAGE ALL MEMBERS TO SUPPORT
THIS LEGISLATION.
WATER FOR OUR NATION IS CRITICAL
FOR ALL OF OUR CITIZENS AND WE
AS LEGISLATIVE LEADERS HAVE T
PROVIDE SOLUTIONS.
THANK YOU.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN FROM FLORA.
MR. DIAZ-BALART: I YIELD THREE MINUTES TO MY FRIEND FROM
CALIFORNIA, MR. NUNES.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED.
MR. NUNES: I THANK MY GOOD
FRIEND FROM FLORIDA.
MADAM SPEAKER, THIS WATER CRISIS
HAS BEEN CREATED BY THE
GOVERNMENT. THIS BILL ON THE FLOOR TODAY
PROVIDES WATER FOR SAN
FRANCISCO.
I'D LOVE FOR SAN FRANCISCO TO HAVE WATER BUT IN THE GRAND
SCHEME OF THINGS THIS IS A TWO
BILLION GRALEN PROJECT.
WE'RE LOSING 200 BILLION GALLONS
OUT TO THE OCEAN BECAUSE WE
WON'T LET THE PUMPS RUN AT
HISTORICAL LEVELS.
SO THIS IS A CLOS RULE, IT
NEVER SHOULD HAVE BEEN A CLOSED
RULE AND WE NEED TO FIND OUT WHY
IS IT THAT THE MAJORITY KEEPS
CLOSING DOWN THESE RULES?
AND I THINK WE MAY BE GETTING
CLOSE TO THE ANSWER, IF WE LOOK
BACK AT A FEW THINGS THAT WERE
SAID A COUPLE WEEKS AGO AT A
PUBLIC EVENT AT THE DEPARTMENT
OF INTERIOR, THE DISTINGUISHED
CHAIRMAN, THE SPONSOR OF THIS BILL, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE
EDUCATION COMMITTEE, TOOK CREDIT
FOR THE LAWSUITS THAT HAVE
TURNED THE PUMPS OFF AND NOT
QUITE SURE WHICH LAWSUIT HE HAD
BROUGHT FORWARD, BUT HE SAID, I
DON'T THINK I HAVE LOST MANY
LAWSUITS IN COURT OVER THE LAST
10 OR 15 YEARS.
NOW, I DID S
WASN'T SURE WHAT LAWSUITS THAT
HE DISTINGUISHED CHAIR-HAD --
CHAIRMAN HAD
THAT, MAYBE IS THERE SOME
COORDINATION THAT'S GOING ON
BETWEEN THE LEFT WING RADICALS
AND THE FRINGE ENVIRONMENTAL
MOVEMENT AND HAS THAT BEEN
COORDINATED?
THESE ARE QUESTIONS WE NEED TO
KNOW ABOUT.
AND SO THE SHOCKING THINGS
DESERVES OUR ATTENTION.
AND I WANT TO ASK A FEW
QUESTIONTHAT I HOPE CAN BE
AND AT SOME POINT BY SOME
COMMITTEE IN THIS CONGRESS.
FIRST IS, HOW MUCH MONEY IS
GOING TO FUND THESE
ORGANIZATIONS?
DOLLARS THAT'S BEEN PAID OUT TO
THESE FRINGE ENVIRONMENTAL
GROUPS THAT CONTINUES TO BRING
THESE LAWSUITS FORWARD.
TAXPAYER DOLARS.
FUNDING SHUTTING OFF WATER TO
PEOPLE.
THE SECOND THING IS THE
NATI
SERVICE, ARE THEY INVOLVED?
HAD THESE RADICAL GROUPS BEEN
COORDINATING WITH THE
SCIENTISTS AND BIOLOGISTS OVER
AT THE NATIONAL MARINE
FISHERIES AGENCY?
BECAUSE NOBODY IN THEIR RIGHT
MIND WOULD SAY THAT THESE PUMPS
ARE RESULTING IN THE DEATH OF
KILLER WHALES.
NOT BELIEVABLE.
ANOTHER QUESTION WE NEED TO
FIGURE OUT IS THE WATER CZAR
THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR
HAS APPOINTED, THAT PRESIDENT
OBAMA HAS APPOINTED, HAS BEEN
ACTIVE WITH THESE SPEAL
INTERESTS IN THE PAST AT THE
HIGHEST LEVELS.
HE SERVED ON THEIR BOARD AND
HE'S GIVING THEM MONEY.
ARE THERE MORE PEOPLE AT
INTERIOR THAT ARE INVOLVED WITH
THESE BIOLOGISTS THAT ARE
COMING UP WITH THESE PLANS AND
HELPING THESE ENVIRONMENTAL
GROUPS BRING THESE LAWSUITS
THAT THE TAXPAYERS ARE PAYING
FOR?
SO THIS IS A CLOSED RULE WHERE
THE CALIFORNIA WATER ISSUE HERE
TO PROVIDE WATER TO SAN
FRANCISCO, YET WE CAN'T EVEN
DEBATE OR HAVE AN AMENDMENT TO
PROVIDE WATER TO THE BULK OF
CALIFORNIA.
SO WE NEED TO GET TO THE BOTTOM
OF THIS.
HOPEFULLY WE WILL TURN DOWN
THIS RULE, VOTE IT DOWN SO WE
CAN ALLOW THE REAL ISSUES TO BE
DEBATED.
VOTE NO ON THIS R THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN'S TIME HAS EXPIRED.
THE GENTLELADY FROM CALIFORNIA.
MS. MATSUI: MADAM SPEAKER,
BEFORE I YIELD TO THE NEXT
SPEAKER, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I KNOW THAT MY COLLEAGUE
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE
IS UPSET BECAUSE HIS AMENDMENT
WAS NOT
THE FACT IS HIS AMENDMENT WAS
NOT GERMANE ON THE UNDERLYING
BILL AND NOT RELATED TO WATER
RECYCLING.
BLAMING THE ENDANGERED SPECIES
ACT WILL NOT PUT HIS
CONSTITUENTS BACK TO WORK.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, SUCH AN
INITIATIVE WILL N
WATER PUMPS FOR THE CENTRAL
VALLEY.
TO ADDRESS THE DROUGHT, THE
SHORTAGE IN THE REGION AND THE
STATE, WE MUST WORK
COLLECTIVELY TOWARD A SOLUTION.
MAMENTS, I LIKE AT THIS TIME TO
YIELD TWO MINUTES TO THE
GENTLEMAN FROM CALIFORNIA, MR.
COSTA. THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED.
MR. COSTA: I THANK MY
COLLEAGUE.
I RISE TO OPPOSE H.R. 2442, THE
RULE THAT WE ARE SPEAKING ON.
THE BAY AREA REGIONAL WATER
RECYCLING PROGRAM EXPANSION ACT
OF 2009, WHILE THIS MEASURE BY
CONGRESSMAN MILLER HAS MERIT,
THERE ARE PLENTY OF MERITORIOUS
WATER BILLS THAT WE HAVE
REPEATEDLY TRIED TO BRING TO
THE FLOOR TO HELP THOSE WHO ARE
EXPERIENCING DROUGHT AND
UNFORTUNATELY THEY HAVE BEEN
IGNORED.
UNFORTUNATELY YESTERDAY I
LEARNED THAT H.R. 2442 WAS
REPORTED OUT OF THE RULES
COMMITTEE WITHOUT A -- WITH A
CLOSED RULE.
AND, THEREFORE, NO AMENDMENTS
WOULBE ALLOWED. I OPPOSE THIS RULE BECAUSE WE
NEED EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO OFFER
AMENDMENTS AND TO VOTE ON
LEGISLATION THAT WOULD BRING
WATER TO OUR FARMERS, OUR FARM
WORKERS, OUR FARM COMMUNITIES
AND OUR VALLEY WHO IN
MIDDLE OF THIS DROUGHT -- WHO
DROUGHT CRISIS.
TOWNS FROM ENDORA TO DELANO
HAVE 40% UNEMPLOYMENT.
NO WATER, THERE'S NO JOBS, NO
MONEY.
FOR FARMS AND FARM WORKERS TO
PUT FOOD ON THEIR TABLES.
CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT IT WOULD
BE LIKE IF YOU LIVED IN A
COMMUNITY WHERE A THIRD OR MORE
OF YOUR CITIZENS HE NO JOBS?
IN THE 1990'S I WAS WORKING
WITH MANY OF THOSE WATER
DI
ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS TO PASS
LEGISLATION THAT WOULD HELP FIX
CALIFORNIA'S BROKEN WATER
SYSTEM.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE MADE LITTLE
PROGRESS.
WE TRIED TO ESTABLISH SOMETHING
SO WE CAN GET HEALTHY AGAIN.
OUR VALLEY AGRICULTURE PROVIDES
HALF THE NATION'S FRUITS AND
VEGETABLES AND THEY'RE
WITHERING AND DYING OUT.
MILLIONS OF ACRES OF FEET OF
WATER HAVE BEEN DIVERTED FROM THE VALLEY AND UNFORTUNATELY
THE FISHERIES ARE NOT
IMPROVING.
IT'S INCUMBENT UPON THIS BODY
TO COME TOGETHER AND HELP US
FIX THIS PROBLEM.
WE EXPECT TO GET HEALTHY AGAIN,
IF WE'RE ABLE TO DIT, WE MUST
GET WATER FOR EVERY PART OF
CALIFORNIA.
THAT BEGINS WITH THE SAN
JOAQUIN VALLEY LET US START
ANEW.
LET US START WITH LEADERSHIP
FOCUSING ON CALIFORNIA'S WATER
CRISIS ON THE VALLEY AND NOT
SHYING AWAY FROM THIS CRISIS.
CONGRESSMAN CARDOZA AGREES WITH
THIS STATEMENT AND I'D LIKE
UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO REVISE AND
EXTEND MY REMAR
WITH THAT I YIELD BACK.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE:
WITHOUT OBJECTION, SO ORDERED.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM FLORIDA.
MR. DIAZ-BALART: MADAM SPEAKER,
I YIELD THREE MINUTES TO MY
FRIEND FROM CALIFORNIA, MR.
CAMPBELL. THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED.
MR. CAMPBELL: I THANK THE
GENTLEMAN FOR YIELDING. YOU KNOW, I AM A NATIVE
CALIFORNIAN, BORN IN LOS
ANGELES.
IN FACT, I AM A FOURTH
GENERATION CALIFORNIAN. MY FAMILY WAS A GOLD RUSH
FAMILY IN 1849.
IF YOU LOOK BACK ON THE HISTORY
OF CALIFORNIA FOR THOSE 160
YEARS, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT
WATER.
WHERE THERE'S WATER, WHERE WE
COULD GET WATER IN CALIFORNIA
THERE IS JOBS, THERE IS GROWTH,
THERE'S PROSPERITY.
THERE I
AND WE DIDN'T BRING WATER TO PLACES IN CALIFORNIA, WE DIDN'T
HAVE THOSE THINGS.
SO THIS DEBATE WE ARE HAVING
NOW IS NOT NEW FOR OUR STATE.
BUT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR OUR
STATE.
AND I UNDERSTAND WHY MY
COLLEAGUES FROM THE BAY AREA
WANT THIS RECYCLING PROGRAM, AS
HA
REALLY THE ISSUE HERE.
AS MY COLLEAGUE, MR. MILLER AND
I HAVE DISCUSSED, IN ORANGE
COUNTY WHERE I COME FROM WE
HAVE SOME OF THE WORLS
LEADING RECYCLING PROGRAMS.
THEY WORK, THEY'RE EFFECTIVE.
WE OUGHT TO DO MORE OF THEM IN
OTHER PLACES.
BUT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
HERE IS THAT THERE'S OTHER
PLACES WHERE WE NEED WATER IN
CALIFORNIA. NOW, I DON'T REPRESENT THE
CENTRAL VALLEY, BUT THE CENTRAL
VALLEY IS THE BREADBASKET OF
CALIFORNIA, ARGUABLY THE
COUNTRY.
AND HERE ARE JOBS DISAPPEARING
AND THERE ARE BUSINESSES
DISAPPEARING, THERE ARE FARMS
DISAPPEARING BECAUSE OF A
MANMADE WATER CRISIS, NOT
BECAUSE OF A DROUGHT, NOT
BECAUSE THE WATER ISN'T
VABLING.
IT'S BECAUSE WE DON'T TURN ON
SOME PUMPS 12 MONTHS A YEAR TO
PROVIDE WA
SO THEY CAN GROW FOOD FOR US
AND FOR THE WORLD.
TO CREATE JOBS AND TO FEED
AMERICANS AND GENERATE EXPORTS
FOR OUR ECONOMY.
AND THE WATER PROVIDED BY THOSE
PUMPS 25% OF THE WATER IN
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA IN THE L.A.
AREA ALSO COME FROM THE
SACRAMENTO RIVER DELTA WHERE
THE TRAVESTY OF THIS BIL IS
NOT WHAT IS IN IT.
IT'S WHAT IS NOT IN IT.
IS THE OPPORTUNI TO TURN ON
THOSE PUMPS, TO PROVIDE --
WHICH HAVE BEEN RUNNING 12
MONTHS A YEAR FOR 50 YEARS.
IT'S NOT LIKE THIS IS A NEW
IDEA AND NEW ENVIRONMENT.
IT'S TO GET THAT WATER FOR SAN
FRANCISCO AND THAT'S GREAT.
BUT LET'S GET WATER FOR THE
CENTRAL VALLEY AND FARMERS IN
CALIFORNIA, AND LET'S GET WATER
FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AS
WELL.
LET'S NOT JUST DEAL WITH ONE
PART OF THE STATE.
LET'S DEAL WITH A WHOLE STATE.
AND SO, MADAM SPEAKER, I WOULD
ASK THAT WE REJECT THIS RULE
BECAUSE OF WHAT IT DOESN'T
HAVE.
LET'S GIVE THE CENTRAL VALLEY A
CHANCE.
WE NEED JOBS. WE NEED ECONOMIC ACTIVITY.
TURN THOSE PUMPS ON.
TURN THIS RULE DOWN.
I YIELD BA MY TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLELADY FROM CALIFORNIA.
MS. MATSUI: MADA
YIELD FOUR MINUTES TO THE
GENTLEMAN FROM CALIFORNIA, THE
SPONSOR OF THIS LEGISLA
MR. MILLER.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED.
MR. MILLER: MADAM SPEAKER, I
RISE IN STRONG SUPPORT OF THE
RULE AND THE UNDERLYING
LEGISLATION.
I WANT TO THANK MS. MATSUI AND
MS. SLAUGHTER AND THE ENTIRE
RULES COMMITTEE FOR THEIR
SUPPORT.
TODAY'S BILL SPONDS TO
REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE FROM THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA LOCAL WATER
MANAGERS TO EXPAND THSUPPLY
OF WATER IN OUR
DROUGHT-STRICKEN STATE.
IT DOES NO MORE THAN THAT.
IT IS GOOD FOR OUR ECONOMY.
THIS BILL WILL CREATE THOUSANDS
OF JOBS.
IT WILL HELP REDUCE THE STRESS
ON OUR FRESHWATER SYSTEM.
THIS BILL EXPANDS THE WATER
SUPPLY OF 50 BAY AREA
COMMUNITIES.
THIS BILL AUTHORIZES WATER
RECYCLING THROUGH THE
SUCCESSFUL BUREAU OF
RECLAMATION TITLE 16 PROGRAM.
TITLE 16 ALLOWS LOCAL WATE
MANAGERS TO USE THE CLEAN
RECYCLED WATER FOR OTHER
PURPOSES WITHIN THEIR
JURISDICTION.
THIS BILL WOULD ADD 7.2 GALLONS
OF WATER PER DAY, ENOUGH WATER
TO THE NEEDS OF 24,000 --
24,000 HOUSEHOLDS.
MY BILL IS ONE OF A SERIES OF
WATER RECYCLING BILLS THAT'S
BEEN APP
YEAR.
IN RECENT YEARS TO EXPAND THE
WATER SUPPLY AND REPUBLICAN AND
DEMOCRATIC DISTRICTS ALIKE
THROUGHOUT THE SOUTH AND
SOUTHWEST.
THEY HAVE BEEN PASSED WITHOUT
DEBATE ON THE CALIFORNIA WATER
POLICY NEEDS.
THIS BILL PASSED BY VOICE VOTE
AN OVERWHELMING MAJORITY --
FIVE BILLS TO PROVIDE FOR THIS
RECYCLING AND THIS REUSE.
WHY IS TH
BECAUSE ACROSS THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA, ACROSS THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA THE WATER USERS IN
THAT STATE RECOGNIZE THE EXTENT
TO WHICH WE CAN RECYCLE AND
REUSE WATER.
WE TAKE THE IMMEDIATE PRESSURE
OFF OF THE ENTIRE CALIFORNIA
WATER SYSTEM, BOTH THE FEDERAL
SYSTEM AND THE STATE SYSTEM.
HIS IS AN INVESTMENT IN WHICH
THERE IS UNANIMITY THAT MUST BE
MADE.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT DOING THIS
YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT HELPING
THE CENTRAL VALLEY BECAUSE YOU
RELEASE THE PRESSURE.
YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT HELPING
THE DELTA.
CLEARLY THE CITIES, THE WATER
AGENCIES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
BELIEVE THIS IS IMPORTANT TO
THEIR FUTURE.
THAT'S WHY THE CITIES THAT PUT UP THE MONEY TO MATCH THE
FEDERAL EFFORT, THAT'S WHY MY
COLLEAGUES FROM BOTH SIDES OF
THE AISLE HAVE COME FORWARD AND
ASKED FOR THIS LEGISLATION. THAT'S WHY THEY'VE BEEN
APPROVED OVERWHELMINGLY ON A
UNANIMOUS BIPARTISAN BASIS
BECAUSE THEY'RE CRITICAL TO THE
LONG-TERM WATER NEEDS.
YOU CANNOT HELP THE CENTRAL
VALLEY IF YOU CANNOT RELIEVE
THE STRESS ON AN OVERSUBSCRIBED
SYSTEM.
IT'S JUST THAT FACT.
THE PUMPS HAVE BEEN ON, THE
PUMPS HAVE BEEN ON FOR MONTHS.
YOU DEVASTATE THE SAN FRANCISCO
BAY AREA.
WE ALREADY LOST TENS OF
THOUSANDS OF JOBS FROM THE
FISHERIES, FROM THE GAS
BUSINESS, FROM THE LOSS OF THE
SALMON RUNNERY ALL THE WAY UP TO THE WASHINGTON BORDER.
AND THOSE JOBS HAVE BEEN
IMPACTED.
THIS IS NOT A GOOD SITUATION.
THAT'S WHY I SAID WHEN I SAID I
HAVEN'T LOST MANY LOSSES THAT I
SUPPORTED COMNG TO THIS -- THE
POINT WAS TO CHECK YOUR GUNS AT
THE DOOR AND SEE IF WE COULD
WORK TOGETHER.
AND THIS HAS AN AGREEMENT.
THIS HAS UNANIMOUS AGREEMENT OF
THE WATER AGENCIES ACROSS THE
STATE THAT THIS IS HELPFUL.
THIS WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
AND THAT'S WHY THEY'VE
SUPPORTED ALL THESE PROJECTS.
AND WE COULD START TO WORK
TOGETHER.
WATER AGENCIES TODAY DOWN AT
THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR
TRYING TO SEE IF WE CAN GET
THINGS DONE THAT THE LAST
ADMINISTRATION PROHIBITED THE
BUREAU OF RECLAMATION DOING
SCREENS ENTERIN
WE THINK WOULD SAVE 250,000
ACRE-FEET OF WATER.
BUT THED A LAST ADMINISTRATION
WOULD NOT LET THE BUREAU OF
RECLAMATION TAKE THOSE PROJECTS
EVEN THOUGH THEY WOULD BE PAID
FOR BY STATE FUNDS.
THAT'S THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS
LESLATION.
THIS IS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WE
AS A STATE COME TOGETHER FROM
THE OREGON BORDER TO THE
MEXIC
PROBLEM ACROSS ALL OF OUR --
ALL OF OUR -- AL
WHICH IS AGRICULTURE, WHICH IS
BUSINESS, WHICH IS MUNICIPAL
POTENTIAL TO DO THAT.
AND THAT'S -- AND THESE PIECES
OF LEGISLATION ARE CRITICAL.
AND THAT'S WHY UP UNTIL NOW THE
HOUSE DECIDED ON A JOINT
BIPARTISAN BASIS THAT WE WOULD
GET THESE BILLS AS FAST AS WE
CAN TO THE SENATE AND HOPEFULLY
GET ACTION AND GET THIS PROJECT
UNDER WAY BECAUSE THE CITIES
HAVE ALREADY PUT UP THE MONEY,
THE ENGINEERING IS DONE, THE
PROJECTS ARE CLEAR.
THAT'S WHY MANY OF THEM WERE
ELIGIBLE FOR STIMULUS MONEY
BECAUSE THEY'RE READY TO GO,
THEY'VE BEEN WAITING TO GO.
TH OF YEARS BECAUSE THE
ADMINISTRATION WOULDN'T PUT UP
THE MONEY UNTIL THE STIMULUS
BILL OF THIS YEAR.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE GENTLEMAN FROM FLORIDA.
MR. DIAZ-BALART: MADAM SPEAKER,
I
FRIEND FROM CALIFORNIA, MR. MCCARTHY.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED.
MR. MCCARTHY: I THANK MY FRIEND
FROM CALIFORNIA, AND AS I
LISTEN TO MY COLLEAGUE FROM
CALIFORNIA, I RISE IN OPOSITION TO THIS BILL.
YOU CANNOT BRING WATER TO
CALIFORNIA WHEN YOU BRING
ANOTHER CLOSED RULE TO THE
FLOOR. YOU CANNOT BR
DEBATE TO THE FLOOR WHEN YOU
DON'T ALLOW AMENDMENTS.
MADAM SPEAKER, THE PEOPLE OF
THE CENTRAL VALLEY ARE BEING
CRUSHED WITH RECORD
UNEMPLOYMENT FROM A MAN-MADE
DROUGHT.
FROM 14% TO OVER 40%.
THAT RUNS THIS HOUSE IS FAILING
TO FIX THIS PROBLEM.
JOBS ARE BEING LOST BECAUSE THE
PUMPS WERE SHUT OFF. AT A TIME OF CRISIS WHEN
THERE'S NO EXCUSE FOR
PARTISANSHIP, SOME APPEAR TO BE
EXPENSE OF PEOPLE'S
LIVELIHOODS.
INSTEAD OF COMING TOGETHER AS
REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS AND
INDEPENDENTS, THE SOLUTION TO
GET THE WATER FLOWING SITS
BEHIND POST OFFICE BUILDINGS
AND THIS BILL -- BILLS AND THIS
BILL THAT WOULD RECYCLE WATER
IN THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY.
WHY ARE WE FAILING TO TAKE UP A
TO TURN THE PUMPS ON NOW TO GET
THE WATER FLOWING AGAIN?
THIS IS NOT A LIBERAL,
CONSERVATIVE OR MODERATE ISSUE.
THIS IS A COMMONSENSE ISSUE.
MADAM SPEAKER, PRESIDENT
FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT ONCE
SAID
ITS SOIL DESTROYS ITSELF.
WELL, THE PUMPS ARE OFF, THE
PIPES ARE DRY, THE LAND IS NO
LONGER ABLE TO PRODUCE AND THE
SOIL IS BEING DESTROYED.
.
HOW DO YOU SIT ON THIS FLOOR AND
SAY YOU ARE BRINGING
THESE BILLS FOR WATER BUT YOU
DENY THE VALLEY, DENY THE
BREADBASKET, AND THE ABILITY
THE PUMPS TO BE TURNED ON?
I ASK FOR A NO VOTE ON THE RULE.
I YID BACK THE BALANCE OF MY
TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE GENTLEMAN YIELD
THE GENTLELADY FROM CALIFORNIA.
MS. MATSUI: I WANT TO REMIND
EVERYONE HERE THAT EARLIER THIS
YEAR SEVERAL OTHER LOCAL WATER
MEASURES WERE RESOUNDINGLY
APPROVED BY THE HOUSE.
THEY INCLUDE THE SOUTH ORANGE
COUNTY RECYCLE WATER ENHANCEMENT
ACT WHICH WAS
DISTRICT.
THE LAKE HODGES SURFACE WATER
IMPROVEMENT ACT, UNTIL ROPE
THE GROUND WATER RECHARGE RAP.
THE MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT
RECYCLING PROJECT IN REP
GALLEGLY'S DISTRICT.
THE RECYCLING AND REUSE PROJECT,
WALDEN OF OREGON.
THE TWOLY RIVER TRIBE WATER ACT.
UNTIL IT WAS CAUGHT UP IN
PARTISANSHIP, H.R. 2442 WOULD
HAVE FOLLOWED THE SAME
PROCEDURE.
H.R. 2442 IS NO DIFFERENT THAN
ANY OF THESE BILLS.
I RESERVE MY TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE GENTLEWOMAN RESERVES.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM FLORIDA.
MR. DIAZ-BALART: MR. SPEAKER, I
YIELD THREE MINUTES TO MY FRIEND
FROM IOWA, M
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
THREE MINUTES.
MR. KING: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
I THANK THE GENTLEMAN FROM
FLORIDA FOR YIELDING.
I'M HERE STANDING IN SUPPORT OF
CONGRESSMAN NUNEZ AND THE
CALIFORNIA DELEGATION THAT HAS
SPOKEN AGAINST THIS RULE AND FOR
WATER FOR THE VALLEY.
AND AS I WATCHED THIS DEBATE
UNFOLD HERE ON THE FLOOR,
SOMETHING ABOUT THE DEPTH OF THE
EMOTION AND VOICE
TO SEE FOR MYSELF.
LATE AUGUST I WENT DOWN TO THE
FRESNO ARA AND TRAVELED THE
VALLEY, MOST OF THE ALL.
I LOOKED AT 250,000 ACRES OF MAN
MADE DUST.
I KNOW THERE ARE AT LEAST
600,000 ACRES OF MANMADE DROUGHT
IN THAT CENTRAL VALLEY AREA, AND
THEN I WENT UP TO SAN FRANCISCO.
WITH A HEAVY HEART.
CA
LOOKED AT THAT DUST IN THE
VALLEY.
I FELT LIKE THAT INDIAN IN THE
COMMERCIAL THAT SAW HIS
FULL OF JUNK AND TIRES AND THE
TEAR TRICKLED DOWN HIS CHEEK TO
THINK THAT MAN COULD DO THAT TO
MAN.
AND THEY WERE WATERING THE LAWNS
IN SAN FRANCISCO WHILE WE HAVE A
MANMADE DROUGHT AND ARE TAKING
OUT DEAD TREES FROM ORCHARDS IN
CALIFORNIA.
I ALSO LED A CODEL TO GO LO
THE SWAMP AREAS IN IRAQ THERE.
DECIDED THAT HE DIDN'T LIKE THE
POLITICS OF THE PEOPLE IN THE
SOUTH, THE SHIIAS IN THE SOUTH
THAT LIVED IN THAT SWAMP.
SO HE SHUT OFF AND DIVERTED THE
TIGRIS AND EUPHRATES RIVERS AND
SHUT OFF THE WATER AND DRIED OUT
THE SWAMP ARABS IN THE SOUTH.
I VISITED THAT AREA.
IT WAS A POLITICAL DECISION AND
A MANMADE DROUGHT.
FOR THE SWAMP ARABS IN
AND WE ARE QUITE PROUD WE SENT
OUR MILITARY IN TO TURN ON THAT
WATER AND GIVE THEM BACK THE
LIFEBLOOD OF THE PEOPLE
SOUTHERN IRAQ ON THE DELTA AREA THERE.
HERE WE HAVE THE VALLEY, AND
THIS IS A BATTLE GOING ON
BETWEEN SAN FRANCISCO, THE URBAN
AREAS IN CALIFORNIA, AND THE
MOST WORLD.
AIM FROM IOWA AND I'M SAYING
THIS.
THE MOST DOLLARS PER ACRE
PRODUCED, AND WE HAVE A MANMADE
DROUGHT.
WE ARE WATERING LAWNS IN SAN
FRANCISCO AND DIVERTING MORE
WATER TO SAN FRANCISCO WHO
DIDN'T LOOK TO ME LIKE THEY WERE
V DUST IN
THE FACE OF THE HARDWORKING
PEOPLE IN THE VALLEY.
I CAN'T BELIEVE WE CAN HAVE A
MANMADE TRAGEDY OF THIS MAGNITUDE.
WE ARE TOLD, CHECK YOUR GUNS AT
THE DOOR.
CHECK YOUR GUNS AT THE DOOR WHEN
THE CARDS
WE HAVE A CLOSED RULE THAT SHUTS
OFF ANY DEBATE OTHER THAN THE
RULE ON ITSELF.
NO AMENDMENTS ALLOWED.
NO VOTE BEING ABLE TO BE FORCE
WE CAN'T SHAPE POLICY IN THIS
CONGRESS IF IT'S BEING SHAPED UP
THERE IN THE HOLE IN THE WALL.
I WANT TO BRING THAT DEBATE DOWN
TO THE FLOOR.
IF YOU AT LEAST HAVE ENOUGH
COURAGE TO ASK FOR AN OPEN RULE
AND ALLOW SOME AMENDMENTS SO THE
MEMBERS OF THIS CONGRES CAN
WEIGH IN, THEN THE PEOPLE OF THE
COUNTRY CAN WEIGH IN AND THEY
CAN HAVE THEIR VOICE HEARD.
WE CAN TURN ON THE WATER.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT THE MINNOW.
OU'LL FIND ANOTHER SPECIES.
IT'S ABOUT A FIGHT OVER THE WATER.
A MAN MADE DROUGHT AND 600,000
ACRES, 40,000 JOBS LOST.
SHUT OFF THE WATERTO THE SWAMP
ARABS.
IT IS HEARTBREAKING,
SPEAKER.
THIS HAS GOT TO STOP. NEED TO BE HEARD.
I YIELD BAC THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEWOMAN FROM CALIFORNIA.
MS. MATSUI: LET ME JUST SAY THAT
FIVE AMENDMENTS WERE SUBMITTED
TO THE RULES COMMITTEE FOR THIS BILL.
ALL FIVE WERE NONGERMANE.
NOT A SINGLE AMENDMENT WOULD BE
AL
OPEN RULE.
WITH THAT I RESERVE MY TIME.
MR. DIAZ-BALART: MR. SPEAKER, --
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE CHAIR WILL REMIND ALL PERSONS IN
THE GALLERY THEY ARE HERE AS
GUESTS OF THE HOUSE AND ANY
MANIFESTATION OF APPROVAL OR
DISAPPROVAL OF PROCEEDINGS OR
OTHER AUDIBLE
VIOLATION OF THE RULES OF THE
HOUSE.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM FLORIDA.
MR. DIAZ-BALART: MR. SPEAKER,
IT'S MY PLEASUR
MINUTES TMY FRIEND FROM
WASHINGTON, MR. HASTINGS.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.
MR. HASTINGS: THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER.
MR. SPEAKER, I RISE TO STRONGLY
OPPOSE THIS RULE.
AS A FORMER MEMBER OF THE RULES
COMMITTEE AND CURRENTLY AS THE
RANKING MEMBER OF THE HOUSE NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE, I
WANT TO ADDRESS SEVERAL
ARGUMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE
THAT TRIES TO JUSTIFY BLOCKING
AMENDMENTS TO PROVIDE RELIEF FOR
TENS OF THOUSANDS OF SUFFERING
PEOPLE, SUFFERING ECONOMIC
DISASTER IN THE SAN JOAQUIN
VALLEY AS A RESULT OF A MANMADE
AND GOVERNMENT ENFORCED DROUGHT.
FIRST, I WANT TO SPECIFICALLY
DISPEL THE NOTION THAT ALLOWING
THE HOUSE TO VOTE ON RELIEF TO
THESE SUFFERING COMMUNITIES
WASN'T
AMENDMENTS WERE NONGERMANE.
MR. SPEAKER, IT IS ENTIRELY
WITHIN THE POWER OF THE HOUSE
RULES COMMITTEE TO ALLOW DEBATE
ON ANY AMENDMENT THAT IT WISHES
AND CONVERSELY TO SHUT DOWN
DEBATE ON ANY AMENDMENT
NOT WANT TO SEE DISCUSSED ON THE
HOUSE FLOOR.
THE RULES COMMITTEE DOES, CAN
AND REGULARLY DOES WAIVE THE
GERMANENESS RULE.
IT SIMPLY REFUSED TO DO SO ON
THIS MATTER BECAUSE THE DEMOCRAT
LEADERSHIP OF THIS HOUSE DOESN'T
WISH TO HAVE THIS MATTER, THIS
MATTER OF THE MANMADE DROUGHT IN
THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY, DEBATED
OR DISCUSSED ON THE HOUSE FLOOR.
ANY NOTION, ANY NOTION, MR.
SPEAKER, THAT THEY COULDN'T
ALLOW THESE AMENDMENTS EVEN 10
NUTES OF DEBATE TIME FOLLOWED
BY A VOTE IS SIMPLY NOT TRUE.
SO LET'S BE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT WE
ARE DEBATING HERE.
THE UNDERLYING BILL RELATES TO
FEDERAL WATER RECYCLING PROJECTS
IN THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA OF
CALIFORNIA.
THE AMENDMENTS NOT MADE IN ORDER
RELATE TO F
AND A MAN MADE DROUGHT IN THE
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY IN
CALIFOIA.
THIS IS HARDLY A CASE OF MIXING
APPLES AND/OR RANGS.
THE TRUTH IS THAT THE DEMOCRAT
CONTROLLED RULES COMMITTEE CHOSE
TO HAND A SHINY RED APPLE TO THE
SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA AND GIVEN
A GIANT RASPBERRY TO THE PEOPLE
IN THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY.
THE OTHER ARGUMENT I WISH TO
ADDRESS AND DISPEL IS THE
DROUGHT IN CALIFORNIA IS AN
ISSUE ONLY FOR THOSE IN
CALIFORNIA TO RESOLVE.
MR. SPEAKER, IF THIS HOUSE CAN
DEBATE AND VOTE ON A BIL TO
PROVIDE MILLIONS OF TAXPAYER
DOLLARS, FEDERAL TAXPAYER
DOLLARS FOR WATER PROJECTS IN
THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA, THEN
THIS HOUSE CAN CERTAINLY DEBATE
AND VOTE ON PROVIDING RELIEF TO
FARMERS AND FARM WORKERS THAT
ARE DENIED FEDERAL WATER BY
FEDERAL LAWSUITS AND FEDERAL
POLICIES, AGAIN IN THE SAN
JOAQUIN VALLEY OF CALIFORNIA.
THIS ISN'T A CASE OF HAVING YOUR
CAKE AND EAT IT, TOO.
IT'S A MATTER OF WATER FOR SAN
FRANCISCO AND NONE FOR THE SAN
JOAQUIN VALLEY.
LASTLY, TO THE ARGUMENT THAT
THIS IS A CALIFORNIA ISSUE FOR
CALIFORNIA TO RESOLVE, I WILL
NOTE THAT THE VOTES IN THE RULES COMMITTEE TO BLOCK THE
AMENDMENTS FROM BEING HEARD WERE
BY A MARGIN OF SIX NO AND FIVE
YES.
ALL FOUR REPUBLICANS VOTED TO
ALLOW THE AMENDMENTS TO BE HEARD
ON THE FLOOR AS DID MR. CARDOZA
FROM CALIFORNIA, A DEMOCRAT.
BUT NOT ONE SINGLE ONE OF MR.
CARDOZA'S DEMOCRAT COLLEAGUES JOINED HIM.
WE WERE TOLD THIS IS A
CALIFORNIA MATTER.
YET RELIEF FOR THE SAN JOAQUIN
VALLEY IS DENIED BECAUSE OF THE
VOTES OF DEMOCRATS ON THE RULES
COMMITTEE FROM NEW YORK,
MASSACHUSETTS, FLORIDA, MAINE,
AND COLORADO.
WHO ALL VOTED NO TO BLOCK
DISCUSSION OF THESE AMENDMENTS
ON THE HOUSE FLOOR.
THE ARGUMENTS OF GERMANENESS AND
IT'S A CALIFORNIA ONLY MATTER
ARE SIMPLY EXCUSES FOR BEING
USED TO TRY TO HIDE THE FACT
THAT THE DEMOCRAT LEADERS WHO
CONTROL THIS HOUSE DON'T WANT TO
ALLOW A VOTE ON SOLUTIONS AND
PROVIDE RELIEF TO THE TENS OF
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE
THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY.
MR. SPEAKER, I URGE MY
COLLEAGUES TO VOTE UNFAIR RULE.
I YIELD BACK MY
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK.
THE GENTLEWOMAN FROM CALIFORNIA.
MS. MATSUI: MR. SPEAKER, WE ARE
IN A DROUGHT.
WE ARE IN A DROUGHT.
THAT'S A FACT.
AND THIS LEGISLATION WILL HELP
ENSURE THAT FUTURE DROUGHTS IN
CALIFORNIA WILL HAVE LESS OF A
DAMAGING IMPACT.
WHEN WATER IS USED MORE
EFFICIENTLY, DROUGHTS LIKE THE
ONE WE ARE CURRENTLY
EXPERIENCING BECOME LESS SEVERE
BECAUSE WE HAVE BUILT IN DEFENSE
MECHANISMS.
WE KNOW THAT THE DROUGHT AND NOT
ENDANGERED SPECIES T OR HOUSE
LEADERSHIP IS THE REAL REASON
WHY SO MANY INDIVIDUALS ARE
SUFFERING IN CALIFORNIA'S
CENTRAL VALLEY.
IN FACT, ACCORDING TO RON
MILLIGAN, THE U.S. BUREAU OF
RECLAMATION OPERATIONS MANAGER
FOR THE CENTRAL VALLEY PROJECT,
THE AVERAGE DELTA WATER EXPORT
PRIOR ACRE-FEET.
IN 2009 THE EXPORT FELL TO 3.6
MILLION ACRE-FEET.
OF THE 2.1 MILLION ACRE-FOOT
SHORTFALL, 1.6 MILLION IS DUE TO
THE DROUGHT.
ONLY 500,000 OF THE DECREASE
RESULTED FROM THE DEALTA SMELT
RULING.
IF ANYTHING, OUR COLLEAGUES WHO
REPRESENT THAT PART OF THE
SHOULD SUPPORT H.R. 2442 AS A
MEANS OF
DROUGHT.
THEY SHOULD ALSO SUPPORT IT AS A
WATER AVAILABLE STATEWIDE FOR
LOCAL AGENCIES TO
AND I RESERVE MY TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEWOMAN RESERVES. THE GENTLEMAN FROM FLORIDA.
MR. DIAZ-BALART: I YIELD ONE
MINUTE AND A HALF TO MY FRIEND
FROM TEXAS, MR. GOHMERT. THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED.
SPEAKER.
I'M PLEASED THAT THIS BILL WILL
APPARENTLY BENEFIT PEOPLE IN THE
SAN FRANCISCO BAY WATER AREA, IN
THE BAY AREA WITH WATER.
AS I UNDERSTAND IT I THINK WE
HAVE SOME LEADERSHIP ON THE
MAJORITY SIDE THAT IS FROM THAT
AREA.
THAT'S WONDERFUL THAT THEY'LL
BENEFIT WITH WATER.
BUT IT IS DEEPLY TROUBLING TO
HEAR PEOPLE COME TO THIS FLOOR
AND START TRYING TO BLAME THE
PAST ADMINISTRATION FOR WATER
PROBLEMS IN CALIFORNIA.
AT WHAT POINT ARE PEOPLE GOING
TO ACKNOWLEDGE, YOU KNOW WHAT?
THE DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY, WE ARE
IN THE MAJORITY AS DEMOCRATS, WE
TOOK CONTROL OVER 1/2 YEARS
AGO, AND WE ARE RESPONSIBLE
HERE.
WE HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO
SOMETHING ABOUT THIS FOR OVER
TWO YEARS AND WE HAVE NOT DONE
ANYTHING BECAUSE THE MAJORITY
LEADERSHIP HAS CHOSEN NOT TO DO
ANYTHING.
MY FRIEND DEVON NUNES RECRUITED
ME.
HE HAD ME LOOK AT THIS AND I SAW
HOW THE SMELT WAS BEING PROTECTED.
THAT'S FINE.
THE SMELT, THE TWO-INCH MINNOW
WHILE PEOPLE ARE STARVING, THE
LAND IS STARVING, THE PEOPLE ARE
STARVING, THEY ARE LOSING THEIR
JOBS.
WHEN HE BROUGHT THIS TO MY
ATTENTION IT SMELT BADLY BACK
THEN.
IT SMELT BADLY A YEAR AGO.
IT SMELT BADLY ALL THIS YEAR.
NOW MY FRIENDS, IT STINKS.
IT'S TIME TO HAVE OPEN RULES
THAT ALLOW US TO
EVERYONE WHO NEEDS IT.
I YIELD BACK.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN'S TIME HAS EXPIRED. THE GENTLEWOMAN FROM CALIFORNIA.
MS. MATSUI: MR. SPEAKER, I JUST
WANT TO SAY THAT FURTHER
INVESTING IN WATER RECYCLING IS
THIS BILL WOULD ALLOW THE BAY
AREA TO REUSE WATER.
THIS LEGISLATION WOULD NOT
MANDATE ADDITIONALWATER
TRANSFERS OR ADVERSELY AFFECT
CALIFORNIA CENTRAL VALLEY IN ANY
WAY.
H.R. 2442 IS A PROACTIVE STEP
TAKEN BY OUR DELEGATION TO
ADDRESS CALIFORNIA'S WATER
SITUATION IN A POSITIVE WAY.
WITH THAT I'D LIKE TO YIELD 2
1/2
FROM OREGON, MR. BLUMENA
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED FOR 2 1/2 MINUTES.
MR. BLUMENAUER: I APPRECIATE THE
GENTLEWOMAN'S COURTESY IN
PERMITTING ME TO SPEAK ON THE
RULE.
I WAS SITTING HERE WAITING TO
SPEAK ON THE UNDERLYI
LEGISLATION AFTER THE RULE IS
PASSED BECAUSE I THINK IT IS AN
IMPORTANT INGREDIENT TOWARDS
DEALING WITH A SERIOUS PROBLEM
IN CALIFORNIA THAT AFFECTS US ALL.
BUT I AM -- I'M COMPELLED TO
COME TO THE FLOOR TO SUPPORT
BRIEFLY THE RULE THAT IS BROUGHT
BEFORE US.
I WONDER, MY FRIEND FROM
OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE FROM
TEXAS RECENTLY ASKED, AT
POINT THE MAJORITY STOPS BLAMING
THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION.
I WOULD HOPE THAT AT SOME POINT
THE MINORITY LOOKS
DECADE OF REPUBLICAN
STRANGLEHOLD ON
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY NOT JUST
FOR CALIFORNIA BUT THROUGHOUT
THE WEST THAT BACK.
WE ARE PLAYING CATCH-UP NOW ON
THINGS THAT WE SHOULD HAVE DONE
FOR YEARS IN WATER.
INFRASTRUCTURE AND WATER POLICY.
SECOND, THE NOTION THAT SOMEHOW
WE ARE
FLOWS INTO THE DELTA AND ON TO
THE PACIFIC OCEAN, I WILL TELL
YOU MY FISHERMEN IN THE PACIFIC
NORTHWEST DON'T THINK THAT IS A WASTE.
THEY DON'T THINK THE SMELT
IS A PROXY FOR A CO
ECOSYSTEM THAT IS POSING
PROBLEMS THROUGHOUT THE PACIC
NORTHWEST ON HISTORIC FISHERIES
AND SPEAKING TO OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS IS NOT A
WASTE.
.
TALK ABOUT A MAN-MADE,
GOVERNMENT-
FOR HEAVENS SAKES, LOOKS WHAT'S
HAPPENING TO THE WATER LEVELS.
LOOK AT THE AREAS THERE WHERE
THEY DON'T EVEN MONITOR WHAT'S
HAPPENING WITH GROUNDWATER TO
KEEP CARUL CONTROL.
THE CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE TIED
ITSELF INTO KNOTS.
THERE'S A GOVERNMENTAL FAILURE
ALL RIGHT THAT IF THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT, THE STATE
GOVERNMENT, WE HAVEN'T DEALT
CONFLICTS.
AND SO WE HAVE TREATED FARMERS,
FISHERMEN, THE ENVIRONMENT AND
LOCAL COMMUNITIES THAT RELY ON
THESE SORES, WE'VE TREATED THEM
SHABBILY.
NOW WITH THE CLIMATE CHANGE AND
PERSISTENT DROUGHT AND THE FACT
THAT SOME PEOPLE WILL N
BACK AND TAKE IT
CONG HOME TO ROOST.
I HOPE THERE IS A MORE SPIRITED
AND ROBUST DISCUSSION ABOUT THE
REALITY.
I HOPE CA
TOGETHER ON A STATE LEVEL AND I
HOPE THEEDERAL -- CAN I HAVE
30 SECONDS?
MS. MATSUI: I YIELD 30 SECONDS.
MR. BLUMENAUER: AND I HOPE THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MAKES UP FOR
THE LOST DECADE.
WE ARE IN A SITUATION NOW WHERE
WATER IS THE PRECIOUS RESOURCE
FOGOING FORWARD.
AND WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE IS A
BLIP ON THE RADAR SCREEN THAT'S
GOING TO
EVERY STATE ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
WE BETTER STOP PRETENDING THAT
THIS IS SOMEHOW GOVERNMENT
CAUSED.
TOGETHER, GET POLICIES IN
PLACE, PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT,
BE RATIONAL AND BE FAIR.
THANK YOU.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN'S TIME HAS EXPIRED.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM FLORIDA. MR. DIAZ-BALART: MR. SPEAKER, I
YIELD TWO MINUTES TO MY FRIEND
FROM CALIFORNIA, MR. NUNES.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED FOR O
MINUTES.
MR. NUNES: I THANK MY FRIEND
FROM FLORIDA.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT ON
THIS ISSUE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE PROBABLY
WATCHING OUT THERE AND SAYING
ARE THESE SALMON FISHERMEN
REALLY OUT OF WORK?
THE TRUTH IS THAT THE SALMON
FISHERMAN CAN STILL FISH. THEY JUST CAN'T FISH FOR
SALMON.
AND THAT IS BECAUSE THE
GOVERNMENT, US, THIS BODY AND
OTHERS TOLD THE FISHERMEN SAID
THEY CAN'T FISH FOR SALMON.
OTHER COUNTRY IN THE WORLD CAN
FISH FOR SALMON, JUST NOT US.
NOT ONLY ARE WE NOT ALLOWING
THE SALMON FISHERMEN TO FISH,
WE ARE ALSO PAYING THEM NOT TO
FISH.
SEVERAL
WE'VE GIVEN THE SALMON
FISHERMAN SO THAT THEY WILL NOT
FISH FOR SALMON.
MEANWHILE, WE HAVE 40,000
PEOPLE THAT ARE WITHOUT WORK
AND THEY GET NOTHING.
SO THERE'S NO CORRELATION
BETWEEN THESE PUMPS THAT HAVE
RUN IN 50 YEARS AND SALMON
FISHERMEN NOT FISHING EXCEPT
FOR THIS -- THE GOVERNMENT SAYS
SALMON FISHERMEN, YOU CAN'T
FISH FOR SALMON.
THE GOVERNMENT ALSO SAYS, KEEP
THE PUMPS SHUT OFF SO THE
PEOPLE IN THE SAN JOAQUIN
VALLEY DON'T HAVE ANY WATER AND
CAN'T GROW ANY CROPS TO PROVIDE
AMERICANS FOOD.
SO THIS WHOLE ARGUMENT ABOUT
THE POOR SALMON FISHERMEN IS
COMPLETE FICTION.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHERE MY
COLLEAGUES WERE -- SOME OF THEM
THAT WERE IN THIS BODY IN THE
1980'S WHEN THEY RAN EVERY
PORTUGUESE AMERICAN FISHERMAN
OUT OF THE SAN DIEGO AREA.
THERE WERE SEVERAL THOUSAND
PORTUGUESE -- MOSTLY PORTUGUESE
FISHERMEN.
THEY FISHED FORTUNEA.
ALL THOSE JOBS WERE LOST TO
FOREIGN -- THEY FEED FOR TUNA.
ALL THOSE JOBS WERE LOST TO
FOREIGN COUNTRIES.
THIS IS BOGUS.
ABSOLUTELY BOGUS.
SHAMEFUL ON THIS BODY.
I YIELD BACK. THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK.
THE GENTLEWOMAN FROM
CALIFORNIA.
MS. MATSUI: I RESERVE MY TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEWOMAN RESERVES.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM FLORIDA.
I'D ASK MY FRIEND, MS. MATSUI,
WHETHER SHE HAS
SPEAKER.
MS. MATSUI: I DO NOT HAVE
ADDITIONAL SPEAKERS SO IF THE
GENTLEMAN WOULD LIKE TO CLOSE.
MR. DIAZ-BALART: THANK YOU.
MR. SPEAKER, WITH REGARD TO THE
ISSUES THAT'S BEEN DEBATED, ONE
THING CONTINUES TO COME TO MIND
, THE MERITS OF THIS ISSUE,
THIS WATER RICH UE OF SUCH
IMPORTANCE TO PEOPLE IN THE SAN
JOAQUIN VALLEY IN CALIFORNIA
HAVE BEEN DEBATED DURING THIS
RULE DEBATE BECAUSE THERE'S NO
OTHER OPTION.
THE SUBSTANCE, SUBSTANTIVE
LEGISLATION, AN AMENDMENT, TWO
AMENDMENTS, ACTUALLY, THAT MR.
NUNES CAME TO THE RULES
COMMITTEE AND ASKED TO BE
AUTHORIZED FOR DEBATE BY THE
HOUSE BUT THEY WERE DENIED.
THEY WERE NOT MADE IN ORDER SO
THERE WAS NO OTHER OPTION.
BUT DURING THE TIME WHEN WE ARE
DEBATING THE RULE, THE TERMS OF
DEBATE FOR AN UNDERLYING BILL
THAT WILL SUBSEQUENTLY BE
DEBATED, THIS IS THE ONLY OTHER
TIME WHEN MR. NUNES AND OTHERS
WHO KNOW THIS ISSUE SO
INTIMATELY AND FEEL IT SO
APROPRIATELY, SO PASSIONATELY,
IN REPRESENTATION OF THEIR
CONSTITUENTS, IT'S THE ONLY
OPPORTUNITY THEY HAVE TO BE
ABLE T
EDUCATE US.
AND IT'S A SHAME BECAUSE THE
CONGRESS AS A WHOLE, THE HOUSE
AS A WHOLE SHOULD BE ABLE TO
DEBATE THIS ISSUE AND CONSIDER
IT AND DECIDE IT.
MR. SPEAKER, OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
HAVE WRITTEN AND CALLED MANY OF
US AND MADE THEIR OPINIONS
KNOWN AT MEETINGS ASKING US
WHETHER WE PLEDGED TO READ
BILLS BEFORE WE VOTE ON THEM.
THE REASON IS THAT MANY PEOPLE
WERE OUTRAGED WHEN THEY FOUND OUT THAT THE MAJORITY
LEADERSHIP FORCED THE CONGRESS
TO VOTE ON A NUMBER OF SWEEPING
AND VERY EXPENSIVE BILLS
WITHOUT GIVING MEMBERS TIME TO
UNDERSTAND OR EVEN READ THE
BILLS.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE WERE FORCED TO
VOTE ON THE FINAL SO-CALLED
STIMULUS BILL AND ON THE
OMNIBUS APPROPRIATIONS BILL AND
ON A CAP AND TRADE BILL.
I REMEMBER THAT ONE WAS
PRESENTED TO US AT 3:0
MORNING IN THE RULES COMMITTEE
AND A FEW HOURS AFTER THAT WE
HAD IT ON THE FLOOR.
ALL THOSE BILLS WERE PASSED
WITHOUT MEMBERS BEING ABLE TO
READ THEM.
HAVING TIME TO DO SO.
THAT'S NO WAY TO RUN THE HOUSE.
AND SO OUR CONSTITUENTS E
RIGHTFULLY UPSET.
YOU WOULD THINK THAT THIS ISSUE
OF SUFFICIENT TIME TO READ
LEGISLATION SHOULD NOT BE
CONTROVERSIAL.
THE DISTINGUISHED SPEAKER
PUBLISHED -- SHE SAY THED, AND
I QUOTE, MEMBERS SHOULD HAVE AT
LEAST 24 HOURS TO EXAMINE
BILLS, CONFERENCE REPORTS
BEFORE FLOOR CONSIDERATION.
AND YET THAT'S NOT BEEN THE
CASE.
TIME AFTER TIME AFTER TIME.
SO 182 MEMBERS HAVE SIGNED A DISCHARGED PETITION IN THE --
THE FRONT DESK THAT WOULD
REQUIRE ALL LEGISLATION TO BE
MADE AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS OF
CONGRESS FOR AT LEAST 72 HOURS
BEFOR
BROUGHT TO THE HOUSE FLOOR FOR
A VOTE. SO ACCORDINGLY, I WILL BE
ASKING FOR A NO VOTE ON THE
PREVIOUS QUESTION SO WE CAN AMEND THE RULE AND ALLOW THE
HOUSE TO CONSIDER THAT
LEGISLATION, HOUSE RESOLUTION
544, A BIPARTISAN BL BY MY
FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES,
REPRESENTATIVES BAIRD AND
CULBERSON.
NOW, WITH REGARD TO ANY MEMBERS
BEING CONCERNED THAT MAY
JEOPARDIZE CONSIDERATION OF THE
UNDERLYING LEGISLATION, I WANT
TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THIS
MOTION PROVIDES SEPARATE
CONSIDERATION OF THE
BAIRD-CULBERSON BILL WITHIN
THREE DAYS SO THAT WE CAN VOTE
ON THIS UNDERLYING LEGISLATION,
THE WATER BILL, AND THEN ONCE
WE ARE DOING CONSIDER HOUSE
RESOLUTION 4.
HAVING SAID T
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK.
THE GENTLEWOMAN FROM
CALIFORNIA.
MS. MATSUI: MR. SPEAKER, I
YIELD MYSELF THE REMAINDER OF
MY TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEWOMAN IS RECOGNIZED.
MS. MATSUI: THE RULE BEFORE US
TODAY IS A FAIR RULE THAT
ALLOWS US TO MAKE A STRONG
FEDERAL COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINING CALIFORNIA'S
ECONOMY.
WATER SUPPLY AND OUR
ENVIRONMENT.
THIS BILL WAS REPORTED UNANIMOUSLY BY THE NATURAL
RESOURCES COMMITTEE ON
SEPTEMBER 29.
IT WAS VOTED ON UNDER
SESSSPENTION ON SEPTEMBER 30.
THERE HAS BEEN AMPLE TIME FOR
THE
LEGISLATION.
NOW IS THE TIME TO ACT ON IT.
THE BAY AREA REGIONAL WATER RECYCLING EXTENSION ACT WOULD
LESSEN THE LIMITED DEMAND FOR
FRESH WATER BY THE REGION AND
THE STATE.
IT IS CRITICAL -- IT IS
CRITICAL THAT WE AVOID PARTISAN
DEBATE AND DISAGREEMENTS OVER
WATER ISSUES AND PASS THIS
LEGISLATION.
MOREOVER, THE HOUSE HAS ALREADY
EXPEDIT
A BIPARTISAN COLLECTION OF
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS ACROS
CALIFORNIA.
THE SOUTH ORANGE COUNTY
RECYCLING PROJECT WAS PASSED IN
FEBRUARY, AND MR. -- IN
CALVERT'S DISTRICT.
AND ONE WAS PASSED IN APRIL IN
MR. BILBRAY'S DISTRICT.
THE MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT WAS APPROVED IN
SEPT
THE MAGNA WATER REDISTRICT IN
UTAH WAS PASSED FOR MR.
CHAFFETZ'S DISTRICT.
THE HERNISTON WATER PROJECT IN
OREGON W
WALDEN'S DISTRICT.
AND THE TULLLY WATER ACT WAS
PASSED BY A VOICE OF 417-3 I
JULY FOR MR. NUNES' DISTRICT.
MR. SPEAKER, IT IS CLEAR THAT
LOCAL WATER PROJECTS TYPICALLY
HAVE BIPARTISAN SUPPORT HERE IN
THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
I AM DISAPPOINTED THAT MY
COLLEAGUES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF
THE AISLE HAVE SET ASIDE THAT
TRADITION FORCING US TO BRING
THIS RULE TO THE FLOOR TODAY.
I URGE A YES VOTE ON THE
PREVIOUS QUESTION A
RULE.
I YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF MY
TIME, AND I MOVE THE PREVIOUS
QUESTION ON THE RESOLUTION.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
QUESTION IS ON ORDERING THE
PREVIOUS QUESTION ON THE
RESOLUTION.
THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
THOSE OPPOSED, NO.
IN THE OPINION OF THE CHAIR,
THE AYES HAVE IT.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM FLORIDA.
MR. DIAZ-BALART: MR. SPEAKER,
WE REQUEST THE YEAS AND NAYS.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
YEAS AND NAYS ARE REQUESTED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF TAKING
THIS VOTE BY THY THE YEAS AND NAYS
WILL RISE.
A SUFFICIENT NUMBER HAVING
ARISEN, THE YEAS AND NAYS ARE
ORDERED.
MEMBERS WILL RECORD THEIR VOTES
BY ELECTRONIC DEVICE.
PURSUANT TO CLAUSE 9 OF RULE
20, THE CHAIR WILL REDUCE TO
FIVE MINUTES THE MINIMUM TIME
FO