Rep. Royce Makes Statement on Water Legislation Negotiations

WASHINGTON D.C. – December 11, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — House Members of the California Republican delegation, including U.S. Representative Ed Royce (R-Fullerton), held a press conference today to address the status of California drought relief legislation negotiations.

Rep. Royce’s remarks can be read below:

“I think the reason why you see such frustration on the part of the Members here from California, is because year after year, for three years, we’ve faced a drought and we’ve tried to move legislation to do something about it.

“Now we have a window of opportunity that next week is about to close. That window of opportunity is because finally we have El Nino coming through the state. Finally we have the opportunity to pump some of that water into Southern California and to the Central Valley; to the parts of the state that frankly have experienced now half a million acres that have gone fallow. And It will soon be a million if we don’t get this relief.

“We agreed with Senator Feinstein that we had this last opportunity to do this before we adjourned, and we had been working on this. Now the absolutists, those who say ‘no compromise on this’, lean in to make certain once again we don’t get this done at the end of the year. And the reason this is so different is it’s not going to be possible next year after El Nino passes. We can’t grab this asset.

“From L.A. County and Orange County, yes, we paid for this water, we contracted for this water. We feel that to allow it not to be captured and sent south is foolish; to let it just drain out to the Pacific.

“But for the farmers and for the farm workers, this is their livelihood. This is why you see the passion up here from these Members. There is not going to be another opportunity for those farmers if they lose that acreage because they cannot get this relief because we cannot move this legislation.

“That is why we’re asking our colleagues in the Senate not this time, not to walk away. This time, please allow us in these negotiations to go forward and do something that will provide the relief for those who otherwise will lose their farms and lose their jobs.”