[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 116 (Thursday, July 16, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Page S4136]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           LAKE TAHOE SUMMIT

 Ms. ROSEN. Mr. President, I rise today on behalf of Senator 
Cortez Masto, Senator Padilla, Senator Schiff, Congressman Kiley, and 
Congressman Amodei to celebrate an incredible milestone for Lake Tahoe, 
the crown jewel of Nevada and California. In 1997, Nevada Senator Harry 
Reid and California Senator Dianne Feinstein spearheaded the inaugural 
Lake Tahoe Summit. This event brought together Federal, State, 
regional, and local leaders, the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California, 
scientists, environmental advocates, and economic interests to address 
the deteriorating clarity of Lake Tahoe's waters. It marked a defining 
moment in bipartisan collaboration to protect one of the Nation's most 
iconic and treasured landscapes, and this year, we are celebrating 30 
years of that partnership.
  Lake Tahoe is an amazing natural wonder. It is the oldest freshwater, 
permanent lake in North America, and the third oldest in the world at 
2.3 million years old. It is also the second deepest lake in the United 
States, plunging to a depth of 1,645 feet, with waters so clear that 
objects can be seen at depths exceeding 70 feet. The Wa;i.;iw (Washoe 
Tribe of Nevada and California) are the original stewards of Lake 
Tahoe, and the Lake continues to hold great significance as their 
ancestral, current, and future home. Straddling the border of 
California and Nevada in the Sierra Nevada, Lake Tahoe is a national 
treasure that we are all so proud to protect.
  Following the inaugural Tahoe Summit hosted by Senators Reid and 
Feinstein, the Lake Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program, or EIP, 
was created to restore Lake Tahoe's water quality and strengthen the 
region's environment and economy for future generations. The Tahoe 
Regional Planning Agency and more than 80 partners collectively known 
as Team Tahoe have worked together to guide and implement the EIP; 
today, the EIP is one of the Nation's most successful conservation and 
restoration programs with more than 900 projects implemented across the 
areas of watersheds and water quality, aquatic invasive species, forest 
health, sustainable recreation and transportation, and science, 
stewardship, and accountability.
  Lake Tahoe is an irreplaceable natural, cultural, and economic 
treasure--a jewel of the Sierra--whose protection is both a solemn 
responsibility and a profound privilege. The 30th annual Lake Tahoe 
Summit will be a celebration of Lake Tahoe and the power of public-
private partnerships that benefit the lake, economy, and community. The 
Tahoe Federal delegation, State and local officials, members of Team 
Tahoe, and the public will come together at this event to celebrate the 
progress made over the last 30 years and commit to solving the 
challenges of the next 30 years. I am so honored to be hosting this 
year's event that will recognize the incredible legacy of my dear 
friend Senator Reid, and I look forward to continuing that legacy with 
my fellow colleagues as we work to protect this special place.

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