[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 2]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 2953-2954]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          PERSONAL EXPLANATION

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. ZOE LOFGREN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, February 14, 2014

  Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to state for the record, 
because I was unavoidably detained with responsibilities in my 
district, I was unable to be present to vote on Monday, February 10, 
2014. I would have voted in favor of H.R. 2431, to reauthorize the 
National Integrated Drought Information System. The record drought 
facing California right now makes clear that reliable drought 
assessment and prediction information is critical. This

[[Page 2954]]

information helps communities, farms and businesses prepare and 
respond. I would echo my colleague, Ranking Member of the Science, 
Space and Technology Committee Eddie Bernice Johnson, that while it is 
crucial that we reauthorize NIDIS, we would have liked to see an even 
more robust authorization level for this important program.
  I would also have voted in favor of H. Res. 447, supporting the 
democratic and European aspiration of the people of Ukraine, and their 
right to choose their own future free of intimidation and fear. I am 
glad that so many of my colleagues also stood up for these principles 
of basic human rights.

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