[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 35 (Monday, March 5, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E314]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          SACRAMENTO-SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY WATER RELIABILITY ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. KEN CALVERT

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 29, 2012

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 1837) to 
     address certain water-related concerns on the San Joaquin 
     River, and for other purposes:
  Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Chair, as the author of the 2004's Water Supply, 
Reliability and Environmental Improvement Act, also known as CALFED, I 
strongly supported H.R. 1837, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Water 
Reliability Act. This bill is an important step in preventing onerous 
regulations from creating another manmade drought like the one that 
devastated farms and families in California's San Joaquin Valley in 
2009 and 2010. As a result of this man-made drought, many farmers lost 
their livelihoods and many communities saw unemployment rates top 50 
percent as jobs dried up with their water.
  With California once again faced with record low precipitation this 
year, we cannot wait to act. Among other things, H.R. 1837 would 
restore water deliveries to communities by codifying the Bay-Delta 
Accord and protects and secures private property and senior water 
rights. This bill will ensure communities will no longer have their 
water cut off and diverted due to heavy-handed environmental regulation 
and litigation that attempts to place fish before farmers and families.
  This bill protects over 30,000 jobs and strikes a common sense 
balance between environmental regulations and environmental realities 
to ensure that California's Central Valley will never again be plunged 
into man-made drought. I commend my colleague Representative Devin 
Nunes of California for his leadership in crafting this important piece 
of legislation.

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