[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 43 (Friday, March 22, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Page S2337]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. WYDEN:
  S. 659. A bill to reauthorize the Reclamation States Emergency 
Drought Relief Act of 1991, and for other purposes; to the Committee on 
Energy and Natural Resources.
  Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, I would like to speak for a few minutes 
today on the importance of reauthorizing the Reclamation States 
Emergency Drought Relief Act.
  This past year was the warmest on record and we are witnessing more 
climate-driven events, including drought. Over 60 percent of the nation 
experienced some form of drought during 2012. In my home State of 
Oregon, serious drought is likely to persist in the southeastern part 
of the State.
  Last summer marked the Nation's most widespread drought in 60 years, 
stretching across 29 States and threatening crop production and power 
plant operations. The levels in many lakes and reservoirs have declined 
putting at risk a crucial part of our Nation's drinking water supplies. 
The impacts of the drought are profound and the outlook for this summer 
isn't any better.
  The Drought Act was originally reported out of the Senate Energy and 
Natural Resources Committee in 1992. Since then it has provided over 
$74 million in drought assistance activities to States across the West. 
It not only authorizes the Bureau of Reclamation to undertake 
construction, management and conservation activities that will minimize 
and mitigate the losses and damages resulting from drought conditions, 
but it also gives specific considerations to the needs of fish and 
wildlife.
  My proposed legislation would reauthorize the Reclamation States 
Emergency Drought Relief Act, which expired last year, for an 
additional 5 years. Given the drought last year and the forecast for 
prolonged drought in parts of this country, it is reasonable to raise 
the authorization level by $20 million, which this legislation does. As 
one indication of the associated costs of drought, in 2012 the drought 
caused an estimated $50 billion in damages.
  In closing, I look forward to working with this administration and my 
colleagues in the Senate to reauthorize this vital program and to 
ensure the Bureau of Reclamation has the resources it needs to 
adequately address the drought conditions.
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