[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 128 (Thursday, September 20, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Page S6499]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 EMERGENCY WATERSHED PROTECTION PROGRAM

  Mr. BENNET. Madam President, I see no colleagues have come to the 
floor, so I want to speak on one additional topic. I will be brief, 
because I understand we likely won't have an opportunity to address 
this issue before we leave town.
  My colleague Senator Mark Udall and I have been working to provide 
resources for the USDA's Emergency Watershed Protection Program, also 
known as EWP. The reason we have been doing this is that EWP resources 
help communities recover from wildfires, specifically watersheds that, 
after being burned, are unstable and risk harm to critical drinking 
water infrastructure and sometimes jeopardize human lives.
  As many in this Chamber know, we had a number of devastating 
wildfires in Colorado this summer. In the communities of Fort Collins 
and Colorado Springs in particular, they are having trouble protecting 
their vital drinking water infrastructure as their watersheds recover. 
Despite a letter Senator Udall and I authored to the appropriators, the 
House version of the continuing resolution did not contain this 
critical funding. That means the Senate won't be able to vote to help 
these communities recover. And while we are disappointed, we are going 
to continue to fight for these resources.
  With that, Madam President, I yield the floor, and I suggest the 
absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. BENNET. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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