Press Releases

Washington, D.C. (July 16, 2015) – Today the U.S. House passed HR 2898: the Western Water and American Food Security Act of 2015. The bipartisan vote of 245-176 sends the legislation to the U.S. Senate for consideration. Members of the Congressional Western Caucus secured numerous provisions in the legislation and helped ensure its passage through the House. In addition to providing much-needed water supply to families, farmers and communities in California, the bill will increase critical water storage throughout the west, streamline water project permitting on federal lands, and protect state-endowed water rights from federal water grabs.

Western Caucus Chairman Cynthia Lummis (WY-at large), members Rep. Tom McClintock (CA-04), Rep. Doug LaMalfa (CA-01), and Rep. Mimi Walters (CA-45), and Vice Chairman Scott Tipton (CO-03) issued the following statements in response:

“For years the American West has been caught in a severe drought, nowhere more serious than in California, and with food supplies and tens of thousands of livelihoods at stake we must act swiftly to provide relief,” said Chairman Lummis. “Federal red tape has choked off growth and improvements in water storage and delivery systems throughout the West, jeopardizing the future of western communities and economies. The water crisis in California underscores the importance of making the entire west more drought resistance, which this bill will do while at the same time addressing the man-made decisions at the federal level that are depriving California farmers of the water they need to stay in business and put food on American tables. I was proud to work with my colleagues from California to pass this legislation and would urge the Senate to quickly follow suit.”

“Droughts are nature’s fault; water shortages are our fault,” said Congressman McClintock. “For a generation, we have failed to build the facilities needed to store water from wet years to have it in dry ones and radical environmental laws have squandered the water we did store. Our water shortage is caused by a shortage of sensible water policy. This bill begins fixing that.”

"We've acted on a bipartisan bill to send more water to Western homes and farms this year, protect state water laws, improve protection of endangered species, and plan for the future by advancing new water storage infrastructure," said Rep. LaMalfa. "With mandatory water rationing already in place, California can't wait any longer. It's time for the Senate to work with us to send this measure to the President's desk."

“As California enters the fourth year of significant drought, the impact is being felt throughout the state. Over 37 million people are faced with water cutbacks and within my district, several cities are forced to make severe water usage reductions,” said Rep. Walters. “Further, the economic cost of the drought is expected to be nearly three billion dollars. Today, I was pleased to support legislation that would modernize our water infrastructure and ensure that California has the water resources they need moving forward. I’m hopeful the Senate will act quickly to pass this vital bill.”

“Water is the most precious resource we have in the arid West, and how we manage, protect and harness our water supply has implications on everything from growing crops to managing wildlife habitats, now and for many generations to come. By passing this needed legislation, we have taken a critical step forward toward protecting private water rights from federal takings, putting science at the center of our nation’s water management decisions, updating and expanding critical water infrastructure and allowing regulatory flexibility to respond to emergency drought situations,” said Vice Chairman Tipton. “I am proud to have worked with my Western colleagues to craft this commonsense bill and urge our colleagues over in the Senate to quickly move it to the President’s desk.”

H.R. 2898’s West-Wide Water Package:

• Water Supply Permitting Act – This title sets up a "one-stop-shop" permitting office run by the Bureau of Reclamation to streamline processes that delay the construction of new or expanded surface water storage.
• Bureau of Reclamation Project Streamlining Act – This title is based on the Water Resource and Development Act Reauthorization provisions signed into law last year. Similarly, H.R. 2898 sets up a transparent process by which the Bureau of Reclamation forwards feasibility studies on water storage projects to Congress, which can then statutorily authorize and fund those specific projects. The projects would include surface storage, water recycling, desalination and rural water supply projects.
• Prepayment of Repayment Contracts – This title allows irrigators to pre-pay what they owe in capital repayments to the Bureau of Reclamation. Under current law, 2/3’s of irrigators are kept from paying off the federal government early even if they have the means and desire to do so. This will generate mandatory spending savings, that combined with other provisions in the bill will fully offset the cost of the bill’s implementation and the new water storage it authorizes.
• Safety of Dams Additional Project Benefits – This common-sense title would allow the Bureau of Reclamation to develop additional project benefits – such as increasing storage capacity – when studying and carrying out dam safety projects.
• Water Rights Protections – This title would prevent federal agencies from requiring citizens to relinquish their water rights to the United States in order to use public lands.

H.R. 2898’s California Water Package:

• California is facing severe drought conditions that threaten the future of agricultural industries and the nation’s food security.
• The current natural drought in CA is being exacerbated by man-made actions, including Endangered Species Act regulations on the delta smelt and salmon. 
• H.R. 2898 requires more transparent science and the deployment of more effective management tools before the federal government resorts to the failed species recovery strategy of choking off water supplies to people. 
• H.R. 2898 would also spur the completion of federal studies for new water storage in CA to augment the state’s water supplies.

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