[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 60 (Monday, April 8, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2291-S2292]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       COLORADO RIVER DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN AUTHORIZATION ACT

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Arizona.
  Ms. McSALLY. Mr. President, the Colorado River is the lifeblood of 
the Southwestern United States. The river provides drinking water to 40 
million Americans, irrigation to 5.5 million acres of farmland, and 
more than 4,000 megawatts of carbon-free hydropower to communities 
across the West in seven States.
  Unfortunately, the last 19 years have been the Colorado Basin's 
driest on record. This long and intense drought has left the combined 
water stored behind Lake Powell and Lake Mead near critically low 
levels, putting the water supply for some of the Nation's largest 
cities in danger.
  The Colorado River Drought Contingency Plan--otherwise known as the 
DCP--was negotiated among the seven Colorado River Basin States to 
respond to this prolonged drought. It is designed to protect Lakes Mead 
and Powell from reaching certain critical water elevations that would 
trigger severe water supply and hydropower impacts, including the risk 
of reaching crisis levels where operational control of the Colorado 
River system would be lost.
  These States put in a lot of hard work and sacrifice for the good of 
all who rely on the river. By doing this, they avoided having the 
Department of Interior directing draconian measures and cuts from the 
Federal Government. But the plan must be codified in law. It literally 
takes an act of Congress to approve the DCP, and it is urgent. That is 
why I am on the floor today.
  I am proud of the bipartisan nature of this legislation. As the Water 
and Power Subcommittee chair, I am leading this legislation with my 
Democratic ranking member from Nevada, Senator Cortez Masto. We have 
all 14 Senators from all 7 States--8 Democrats and 6 Republicans 
spanning a wide ideological spectrum--as original cosponsors. This bill 
is about an impending water crisis impacting Western States like 
Arizona. The effort to get this bill to this point is an example of 
bipartisanship that Arizonans and Americans are calling for. This is 
about the livelihood and the safety of 40 million Americans.
  The Colorado River DCP Authorization Act puts sound water policy over 
partisan politics. People thought that never happened in Washington, 
DC. Today, they should be celebrating about this bill. I ask all my 
colleagues to join the 14 bipartisan Senators from the Colorado River 
Basin and support this bill.
  Mr. President, as in legislative session, I ask unanimous consent 
that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. 1057. I 
further ask consent that the bill be considered read a third time and 
passed and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid 
upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  The Senator from Nevada.
  Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Mr. President, reserving the right to object, would 
the

[[Page S2292]]

Senator from Arizona modify her request to add that when the Senate 
receives the papers on H.R. 2030, and if the text is identical to S. 
1057, the bill be considered read three times and passed and the motion 
to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no 
intervening action or debate?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Does the Senator from Arizona so modify her 
request?
  Ms. McSALLY. Mr. President, I would gladly modify my request. It 
seems that our House colleagues--again, both sides of the aisle--will 
be passing an identical version of our bill tonight. As we talked 
about, this is urgent. It is urgent for Arizona. It is urgent for all 
the seven States that rely on the Colorado River. So the fastest way we 
can get this legislation to the President's desk is what I support. I 
support this modification.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection to the modified proposal?
  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  The bill (S. 1057) was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading, 
was read the third time, and passed, as follows:

                                S. 1057

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Colorado River Drought 
     Contingency Plan Authorization Act''.

     SEC. 2. COLORADO RIVER BASIN DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLANS.

       (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law 
     expressly addressing the operation of the applicable Colorado 
     River System reservoirs, immediately upon execution of the 
     March 19, 2019, versions of the Agreement Concerning Colorado 
     River Drought Contingency Management and Operations and the 
     agreements attached thereto as Attachments A1, A2, and B, by 
     all of the non-Federal parties thereto, the Secretary of the 
     Interior shall, without delay, execute such agreements, and 
     is directed and authorized to carry out the provisions of 
     such agreements and operate applicable Colorado River System 
     reservoirs accordingly.
       (b) Effect.--Nothing in this section shall--
       (1) be construed or interpreted as precedent for the 
     litigation of, or as altering, affecting, or being deemed as 
     a congressional determination regarding, the water rights of 
     the United States, any Indian Tribe, band, or community, any 
     State or political subdivision or district of a State, or any 
     person; or
       (2) exempt the implementation of such agreements and the 
     operation of applicable Colorado River System reservoirs from 
     any requirements of applicable Federal environmental laws.

  Ms. McSALLY. Mr. President, I want to thank you, and I want to thank 
Senator Cortez Masto and all of our colleagues for supporting this 
critical legislation. It is now going to allow immediate action to 
increase the water security for Arizona and all of the seven Colorado 
River Basin States.
  We just introduced this legislation last Tuesday. By acting so 
quickly, the Lower Basin States will be able to immediately begin 
saving hundreds of thousands of acre-feet of water behind Hoover Dam, 
and this will dramatically reduce the risk of reaching critically low 
reservoir levels and ensure that Mexico's water contribution to Lake 
Mead will be made beginning next year.
  We worked hand in hand with Chairman Grijalva to develop this 
legislation. As I said, we have identical bills passing now in the 
House and the Senate on the same day. I want to thank our House 
colleagues, Chairman Grijalva, Ranking Member Bishop, and I want to 
thank all the staff on both sides of the House and the Senate. This 
bipartisan, bicameral effort only came into fruition because of their 
hard work over these last years and days to make this happen. Thanks 
again to everybody.
  This is a really great day for the Colorado River Basin and for 
Arizonans.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The majority leader.

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