[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 189 (Thursday, December 19, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7214-S7215]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           KLAMATH BASIN WATER AGREEMENT SUPPORT ACT OF 2024

  A bill (H.R. 7938) to amend the Klamath Basin Water Supply 
Enhancement Act of 2000 to provide the Secretary of the Interior with 
certain authorities with respect to projects affecting the Klamath 
Basin watershed, and for other purposes, was ordered to a third 
reading, was read the third time, and passed.
  Mr. WYDEN. Madam President, I am very pleased my legislation has just 
passed.
  I particularly want to express my thanks to my colleague and friend, 
my neighbor, Senator Barrasso, and staff John Tanner and others--Jack 
and Vincent and Kristin and Tori and

[[Page S7215]]

Sam--who have been a big help in this effort.
  This legislation, by my Republican colleague from eastern Oregon, 
Congressman Bentz, is a companion bill to my bill, S.482, which would 
uphold promises made by the Federal Government to farmers and Tribes in 
the Klamath Basin. The Klamath Basin is the subject of one of the 
largest river restoration projects in history.
  As a result of this work, new habitats are being opened up to recover 
culturally important fish and wildlife and provide more flexibility for 
managing water deliveries to farmers in the Klamath Basin. The promise 
that was made to agricultural communities and agreed to by stakeholders 
in the Klamath Basin is that they would receive support for the work 
that must now be completed to avoid conflict, work like putting fish 
screens on water diversions.
  I commend the House for passing this legislation on suspension, and I 
am really pleased that my colleagues on both sides of the aisle are 
going to allow us to make sure that we don't lose this critical and 
timely opportunity to finally live up to a promise made to these local 
communities nearly a decade ago.
  I will close with this. I promised that I would have an open-to-all 
townhall meeting in every county in my State. I just cleared townhall 
meeting No. 1,100. That means that 1,100 times, for 90 minutes, we just 
said we are going to throw open the doors of government and listen to 
folks. I am not giving any speeches or using any teleprompters or 
whatever, just letting people share their views.
  And it was there that I heard about this idea, this idea that is 
being advanced now on a bipartisan basis. Congressman Bentz, my 
colleague from eastern Oregon, myself, my home is in southeast 
Portland, urban and rural, Democrats and Republicans, coming together 
to do something that makes a lot of sense.
  And I want to also, while I am making these remarks, thank my 
senatorial colleague Senator Merkley, who is a senior member of the 
Appropriations Committee. He has been doing so much good work on the 
Klamath over the years.
  The passage of this legislation tonight is a good win for rural 
Oregon, long overdue.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from California.


                  Unanimous Consent Request--H.R. 5509

  Mr. PADILLA. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be discharged from further 
consideration of H.R. 5509 and the Senate proceed to its immediate 
consideration; 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 an objection?
  The Senator from Wyoming.
  Mr. BARRASSO. Madam President, reserving the right to object. This 
bill is not the right response to address the permitting challenges at 
the Department of the Interior. The bill would create a duplicative 
database, and the database would lack privacy protections for sensitive 
business information. I am committed to addressing permitting 
challenges. This bill is not the right answer, and, therefore, I 
object.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
  The Senator from California.

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