Devin Nunes RSS Articles

Backcountry Horsemen Get Relief From House

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Congressmen Devin Nunes (CA-21), Kevin McCarthy (CA-22), Tom McClintock (CA-04) and Jeff Denham (CA-19) today announced that the House has passed a bill that would restore access to the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks for backcountry horsemen. (bill text)

Commercial permits necessary for the operation of the region’s pack stations have been suspended due to a lawsuit by a radical environmental group, the High Sierra Hikers Association, which opposes horse and mule access to the parks. The Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Backcountry Access Act will require the Parks Service to issue commercial permits for the next two years while changes are made to the permitting process to comply with a federal court ruling.

“I was highly disappointed by the Park Service’s refusal to work with the federal court on an agreement to issue permits in time for the current season. Officials opted to wait until a new process was established and approved by the court instead of seeking an interim solution,” said Rep. Devin Nunes. “This legislation will allow commercial pack operations to continue in the parks while changes are made to the permitting process to comply with the court’s decision. It is now up to California’s Senators to quickly act on the bill. There are hundreds of jobs at stake.”

“This Administration’s refusal to work towards a solution on this issue is the latest example of this Administration’s war on Western jobs. I commend the House for taking swift action today on legislation I cosponsored to help preserve hundreds of jobs in the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Passage of this bill will ensure that the public can continue to access and enjoy public lands and national treasures. I call on the Senate to take this bill up immediately and join House Republicans in working to save jobs in our local communities and preserve access to public lands," said Rep. Kevin McCarthy.

“At a time when unemployment in California remains well above the national average, we are working to keep hundreds of hard-working families in business while adjustments are being made to comply with new wilderness requirements. It’s imperative that we take swift action to protect the jobs of our backcountry horsemen and preserve access to our public lands,” said Rep. Jeff Denham.

The Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Backcountry Access Act was introduced by Congressman Nunes last evening. Chairman Hastings and the bi-partisan House leadership agreed that the temporary measure was worthy of special treatment and swift action. It was expedited through a unanimous consent agreement for consideration by the full House in less than 24 hours and is currently being transmitted to the Senate.

500 Jobs in Jeopardy While “MoFo” Law Firm Packs-in the Cash

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Members of Congress call for quick action by the Obama Administration to save jobs and halt activist judge and former partner at Morrison & Foerster (www.mofo.com)

Congressmen Devin Nunes and Jeff Denham, Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy and Chairman Rob Bishop, Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands, today called on the Obama Administration to act to protect the jobs of backcountry horsemen who are being threatened by a liberal activist judge and a National Park Service decision to delay permits for commercial operators.

“There are approximately 500 jobs hanging in the balance. The Obama Administration must act swiftly to seek permission from the courts to issue a one year permit to save these small businesses,” said Rep. Devin Nunes. “I am working with Chairman Bishop and the House Natural Resources Committee in an effort to convince them to do just that.”

A recent federal court decision has resulted in alterations to the permitting process necessary for pack and saddle backcountry horsemen to enter the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. If commercial operating permits are not granted, backcountry operations will be suspended. Many of these family businesses cannot survive an economic blow of this magnitude. According to the Park Service, Judge Richard Seeborg denied a request to expedite a hearing on issuing permits.

“The Obama Administration must issue these permits immediately. Issuing the permits would prevent the cancellation of tourism associated with the pack and saddle companies, and the subsequent revenue upon which so many jobs and businesses in this area rely,” said Chairman Bishop. “Congress clearly intended for these family owned and operated companies to continue at these parks as they have for decades. This is another example of this Administration’s ongoing assault on access to public lands and further illustrates that they will always place radical special interest groups before hard-working Americans.”

“At a time of unacceptably high unemployment rates, refusing to act to save these jobs and preserve access to our public lands is intolerable. I will continue to fight against the Obama Administration's war on western jobs, and instead work for commonsense policies that help create jobs and preserve important access to our national treasures,” said Majority Whip McCarthy.

It is within the Obama Administration’s power to once again seek permission for a one year permit for commercial backcountry horsemen operations.

“Preventing access to federal lands harms small, rural communities that rely on tourism to bring dollars in to the community,” said Rep. Jeff Denham. “There has been a concerted effort by this Administration to limit access to public lands without due consideration to the impacts on local communities. Federal lands are publicly owned and should be managed in the best interest of the public, not to their detriment.”

“I don’t agree with the ruling by the newly appointed liberal activist judge. Federal law is clear. Congress intended that backcountry horsemen have access to the park,” said Rep. Nunes. “The ruling in itself is not an excuse to shut down an entire season of commercial operations. It defies common sense that officials have so far refused to actively protect jobs.”

This lawsuit, filed in late 2009 by the High Sierra Hikers Association, was bankrolled by Morrison & Foerster a politically connected San Francisco law firm. Judge Richard Seeborg, who presided over the case, is a former partner at Morrison & Foerster. The law firm, better known as “MoFo” as chided by Jay Leno (see video), has contributed more than $100,000 in campaign contributions to liberal Democrat Members of Congress and Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar.

Law firms such as “MoFo” claim to do this type of legal work “pro bono”. In this case, “MoFo” who is reported to have a record $930 million in revenue last year, will see a big payday from the federal government as a result of the Equal Access to Justice Act. This law stipulates that attorney’s fees be reimbursed by the taxpayers in successful cases.

“The conflict of interest in this case is appalling. At a minimum the judge should have recused himself,” said Rep. Nunes.

Job Killers Loose in National Parks

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Our jobs are under attack.

Rural mountain communities are once again in the cross-hairs of liberal politicians and regulators. Having already devastated California’s mining and timber industries with laws and regulations limiting access to public lands, environmental radicals have moved full speed into a new round of limitations that impact recreational use of our National Parks. They want to eliminate the backcountry horsemen, the only means left by which many Americans, including those with disabilities, are able to gain access to the American wilderness.

Backcountry horsemen are part of the American story and have, since the settling of the West, been responsible for packing people and supplies into some of the most remote places. They are environmentalists, not in the modern sense, but in the true sense. These hardworking entrepreneurs understand that public access and conservation belong together and are sharply contrasted with the vast majority of urban activists who fund and support the modern environmental movement. Unlike the urban zealots, backcountry horsemen actually understand the wilderness and are personally invested in its survival.

Despite these facts, well-funded radicals are working to put backcountry horsemen out of business. They filed and won a lawsuit which alleged that operating permits for these businesses required compliance with environmental laws related to wilderness areas. The activists and court would have us believe that horses and pack mules are a threat to the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park, despite their longstanding presence in the area and despite a specific Congressional directive to the contrary (see here).

Ironically, the Obama Administration is pushing backcountry horsemen out of business at the same time it is urging Americans to “get outdoors.” The White House initiative is based on President Obama’s belief that government investments in outdoor activities are good for the economy.

The White House could demonstrate an interest in protecting these “outdoor” jobs with a simple act – one that it has so far refused to entertain. The Administration simply needs to ask the court for a one year extension of existing permits. A one year extension would allow adequate time for the permitting process to be updated in order to reflect new wilderness requirements and it may spare the small but time honored industry from the chopping block.

Brash SJV congressman shifts California water wars

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 05:00:00 GMT

A brash, young Central California congressman is proving to be just as adept navigating the halls of Congress as he is at ruffling stoic partisan political feathers.

U.S. Rep. Devin Nunes, a 38-year-old from a farm family with three generations of history in Tulare County, Calif., will say just about anything.

“After 20 years under CVPIA (Central Valley Project Improvement Act), Congress can conclude one thing: flushing fresh water into the San Francisco Bay is not helping to recover species and people are suffering needlessly.”

That’s how Republican Nunes introduced H.R 1837, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Water Reliability Act. It passed in the House with a bipartisan vote of 246/175.

H.R. 1837 is no hip-pocket, showboat legislation. It is a thorough and thoughtful attempt to turn the boat in the right direction in the ongoing California water crisis. Among other things, it lengthens the 25-year federal water contracts to 40 years; preempts strict state environmental laws and directs more water to farmers south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta without threatening Sacramento Valley water supplies.

It also would throttle back an overly ambitious and dubious attempt to restore salmon to the San Joaquin River. Nunes’ bill will restore the river below Friant Dam using less water for less fragile fish species.

However, what the Republican-controlled House passed has little chance of passing the Democratic Senate. Nunes understands that, but he is not deterred.

“With House passage, we are halfway through the legislative process and now can look to the Senate for its response. Will our senators help restore our property rights and end the death grip of radicals over California’s water supply or will we have to look to others in the Senate to lead the charge?” said Rep. Devin Nunes.

California’s two senators, Diane Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, say no way will Nunes’ legislation see the light of day from the Senate.

Feinstein has been quoted as saying the bill is “a very selfish bill. It says the farmers get the water, and everybody else be damned." Some of those same farmers supported Nunes’ bill and also have fattened Feinstein’s campaign bank account.

Feinstein has also been quoted as saying she will look at Nunes’ bill to see if there is any good in it she can support. Look close, senator.

Agriculture takes a bath every time someone messes with California water — until now. Nunes has put food and fiber on equal footing with radical environmentalists.

He has thrown down the gauntlet to fellow politicans who talk about how they are going to help resolve the California water crisis, but don’t produce, like fellow Congressman Jim Costa, a Democrat. He is a farmer and represents a district adjacent to Nunes’. Costa supported the Nunes bill, but whined afterward it did not make any difference because it will not pass in the Senate. If he did not think it would pass, why vote for it? To save his political hide.

Rather than get upset over ruffled partisan pinfeathers, Costa and Feinstein and other Democrats representing rural areas had better figure out a way to glean the good from Nunes’ bill and make sure it becomes law, even with the threat of a presidential veto.

Just scan through the list of supporters of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Water Reliability Act. There are many Northern California water districts on it, and they all have registered voter board members.

Nunes’ bill, however, does not have 100 percent agriculture support. Some think reopening the San Joaquin River deal will result in farmers getting a weaker deal.

One observer estimated that there is a 60-40 split among agricultural interests in favor of Nunes’ bill.

Regardless of the Senate outcome of the ambitious legislation, Nunes has craftily given clout back to agriculture. It has been a long time since agriculture has had an unabashed advocate in Congress like Nunes.

From the Western Farm Press

U.S. Seeks to Open Indian Market for Poultry

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 05:00:00 GMT

On Tuesday, March 6, 2012 the United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk announced USTR’s decision to request a formal consultation with India regarding poultry imports from the United States.

The announcement follows a bipartisan request headed by Congressmen Devin Nunes (R-CA) and John Carney (D-DE) urging Representative Kirk to make poultry trade with India a top priority. The letter was signed by 46 Representatives (see letter here).

“I am hopeful the formal consultation process will yield results and appreciate the USTR’s commitment to opening the Indian market to U.S. poultry. The Indian government’s position is inconsistent with its commitment to the World Trade Organization and must be remedied,” said Rep. Nunes.

Currently, India denies access to U.S. poultry citing avian influenza (AI) concerns. However, no distinction is made between low-pathogenic and high-pathogenic AI. The failure to recognize the difference between high-pathogenic and low-pathogenic AI is inconsistent with World Health Organization for Animal Heath (OIE) guidelines and, in the view of Congressman Nunes and other Congressional Representatives in Washington, is a violation of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS).

The United States is one of the few countries in the world where a comprehensive and rigorous program to prevent, control, and eradicate AI in poultry and prevent the spread to the human population is in-place.

Background:
Since 2007 India has denied access to U.S. poultry into Indian markets, of which would provide significant opportunities to poultry processors. The United States track record on AI is unsurpassed.

Industry analysts estimate that U.S. Poultry exports to India could exceed $300 million annually, if appropriate market access was provided in accordance with India’s obligations as a member of the WTO.

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Ending California's man-made drought

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 05:00:00 GMT

From the San Francisco Chronicle Editorial Pages

The man-made drought in California is no secret. Burdensome environmental regulations restricting water pumping in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta have contributed to hundreds of thousands of acres of fertile farmland going fallow in recent years.

During California's 2007-2009 drought, the Democratic majority and the Obama administration stood on the sidelines while farmers were forced to forgo planting, joblessness rose and families stood in food lines. It was a huge relief last year when we had abundant rain and snow, but instead of using 100 percent of that water for farming and storage, millions of acre-feet of water were allowed to be lost into the ocean.

This year is looking to be as dry as they come, and without adequate storage, we will continue to see the problem of water shortages year after year. We must act now to ensure that our communities get every drop of water possible to grow the crops that feed America and create the jobs that support families and local economies.

The U.S. House of Representatives did just that on Feb. 29 by passing the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Water Reliability Act. If enacted, this bill will get water flowing in California and increase water storage for future years. Right now, water traveling through the delta has been reduced from a gush to a trickle because environmentalists care more about protecting fish than putting Californians back to work. Protecting ecosystems is important, but so are the crops that help feed America and produce jobs that promote economic recovery in our state. This bill takes the zealotry out of these environmental restrictions and puts California's water delivery system on more balanced and reliable footing.

In this bill, we return pumping operations to the bipartisan 1994 Bay Delta Accord. As many probably remember, this accord was hailed as an end to California's water wars and was roundly praised. The Clinton administration and other prominent Democrats such as Rep. George Miller, D-Martinez, and Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt lent their support, as did Republican Gov. Pete Wilson, environmentalists and water users in both the Northern and Southern parts of the state. This was a good deal for everyone - and that's why we used it for the base of our bill.

By returning water pumping to the previously agreed-upon levels in the 1994 accord, Central Valley families and farmers will see an estimated increase of 1.4 million acre-feet of water. That's enough to irrigate 460,000 acres of farmland or provide drinking water to more than 1 million households for one year. It's also enough to create up to 30,000 agricultural jobs in the valley, according to economic impact studies. All told, this is legislation that will put people back to work, ensure a more reliable water supply to California farmers, and generate revenue for the federal government. Unlike the Obama administration's failed economic stimulus, this bill will create jobs at no cost to the taxpayer. In fact, the Congressional Budget Office estimates that it will bring in an estimated $221 million by allowing water contractors to prepay for their water.

The Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Water Reliability Act is smart legislation that will have positive impacts not just for California families, farmers and small businesses, but for all of America as well. We can no longer allow a fish to be prioritized above our families and food supply. We have to get our priorities right. This bill does that, and we look forward to the Senate taking it up and joining us in putting an end to California's man-made water crisis.

Reps. Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield; Devin Nunes, R-Tulare; and Jeff Denham, R-Merced, represent the Central Valley in the U.S. House of Representatives.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/03/06/ED161NG8VP.DTL

This article appeared on page A - 8 of the San Francisco Chronicle

The House intelligence committee: A rare example of bipartisanship

Fri, 02 Mar 2012 05:00:00 GMT

The House intelligence committee used to be one of the meanest snake pits in Congress, a place where members were so busy sniping at each other that they failed to provide effective oversight of the intelligence community. It was a model of what was wrong with Washington.

Amazingly enough, the committee has found its way out of the wilderness under a new chairman and ranking Democrat, Reps. Mike Rogers, a Michigan Republican, and C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, who is from Maryland’s 2nd District. With their leadership, the House has approved intelligence-authorization bills by lopsided, bipartisan margins the past two fiscal years, after many years when the committee was too divided to pass such legislation.

“Rogers and Ruppersberger have made bipartisanship work,” says Gen. Mike Hayden, a former CIA director who struggled with the old, dysfunctional system. Back then, he recalls, “the committee was just wild — incredibly contentious and highly politicized. They have worked hard to get it back to business.”

So what produced this little miracle of bipartisanship? That’s the interesting part of the story, because maybe the same process could work elsewhere in gridlock city.

The reset began when Rogers became chairman in January 2011. He came to the job with some interesting credentials: He was a former FBI field agent who had run numerous undercover operations; after joining Congress in 2001, he visited Pakistan’s tribal areas and helped persuade President George W. Bush in 2008 to step up drone attacks there against al-Qaeda.

Rogers’s first move was to go to Ruppersberger and propose a truce. “We can continue this bickering and be dysfunctional — and do a huge disservice to the American people — or we can work it out together,” Rogers remembers telling his colleague.

Ruppersberger, a former prosecutor, was an ideal partner for the ex-FBI agent. “We made a commitment to each other that we would work together and wouldn’t sandbag each other,” says the Democrat.

The two leaders also made some changes among the committee staff, and instructed the aides to brief members jointly. Explains Ruppersberger: “Before, the other side of the aisle was the enemy.”

The new chairman and ranking Democrat had to get buy-in from their members. Rogers held seminars for new members, where Hayden and other intelligence professionals gave briefings. And in bargaining over such contentious issues as cyberspace and detention policy, the leaders found a way to balance the desires of some very liberal Democrats and very conservative Republicans.

Rogers and Ruppersberger wanted less partisan sniping — but also, more aggressive oversight. In this monitoring role, the House committee pushed the CIA to be more aggressive in hunting down shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles in Libya. Rogers was so insistent that the agency brought to Washington a big hammer that had been used to smash the missiles and presented it to the chairman.

One example of improved oversight is that a committee staff member works full time to review covert action plans, and the whole committee meets once a quarter for a closed hearing on this most sensitive topic. An example of pushback on covert action is that the committee warned the administration away from a plan to arm the Libyan rebels.

The House committee has also worked hard to review the complex systems for surveillance from space. After holding 12 closed sessions to explore this arcane subject, it sided with the Obama administration (and against the Senate intelligence committee) in rejecting a plan for an array of small satellites that would be more expensive and less effective than promised. Savings will total more than $10 billion.

When the committee was so deadlocked that it couldn’t pass an authorization bill, it left the field to the Appropriations Committee, which lacked sufficient staff and expertise. Rogers got the authorization process working again, with the House passing the fiscal 2011 legislation by a 392 to 15 vote and the 2012 version, 384 to 14. Rogers also invited three key members of Appropriations to sit on the committee as non-voting members — a clever move that helped achieve the consolidated control over intelligence spending that had been recommended by the 9/11 Commission but remained stillborn until last year.

The two House intelligence leaders also worked with the Senate intelligence committee, which had never been quite as polarized as its House counterpart. The Senate side seems to have been galvanized, as a result.

Bipartisan cooperation is needed throughout Congress, but it’s especially important in the oversight of intelligence. These secret bureaucracies badly need a bracing review. What they got in the past was mostly second-guessing and backbiting. What they have now is real oversight. It’s a welcome change: Let’s hope it spreads.

Boehner calls for passage of California water rights bill

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) made a rare appearance on the House floor Wednesday afternoon to urge passage of a bill aimed at re-establishing water access for thousands of California residents and farmers that was blocked by the Obama administration's environmental regulations.

The San Joaquin Valley Water Reliability act, H.R. 1837, is a GOP response to 2009 Obama administration regulations that restricted water flow to farms and communities in order to protect the Delta smelt, a small fish. The GOP, and some Democrats, have argued that this decision created a man-made drought that crushed local communities and favored species protection over human food production and economic growth.

"It's a perfect example of the overreach of government," Boehner said of the regulations, adding that the regulations amount to an improper use of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) by environmentalists.

"They're using a law, the endangered species law, for what I would describe as an unintended purpose," Boehner said. "They're using the law to shut down production agriculture, that they don't like, and abusing the law that was created by this Congress. It is wrong, and it should not stand."

Boehner also argued that the Obama administration should support the bill because it would help re-establish farming jobs in California, even though the administration issued a veto threat against the bill on Wednesday.

"Well, here's a situation where we've have tens of thousands of farmers and those who work on those farms in the central valley of California, being denied the use of their own land, being denied the labor to feed their own families, because someone is abusing the law," Boehner said.

The Speaker made his floor appearance just before the House advanced the legislation by approving the rule governing debate on the bill. Members approved the rule in a largely party-line vote, which allowed the House to begin general debate on the bill and consider several amendments.

While other Republicans said the bill is bipartisan, several Democrats opposed to the bill that Congress should not intrude on an issue that has been left to local control for decades.

"I would argue that this isn't the appropriate venue to settle inter-California disputes that have long been settled through case law and settlements," Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.) said.

But Republicans rejected that, and said the bill would restore control to California that was overtaken by the Obama administration under the ESA.

"It doesn't pre-empt state water rights," Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.) said of the bill. "It specifically invokes and protects state water rights against infringement by any bureaucracy, local, state or federal, a legitimate constitutional function of the federal government established under the 14th Amendment, and made essential by the terms of the state-approved joint operating agreement of these intertwined water systems."

McClintock added that a 1994 agreement struck under the Clinton administration, which balanced species preservation and economic growth, was praised at the time as a solution to water rights in the San Joaquin Valley, and carried an explicit promise to provide water to needed farms and businesses. But McClintock said this agreement was destroyed under the Obama administration.

"The water diversions shattered that promise, this bill redeems it," he said. McClintock was referred to the so-called Bay-Delta Accord, which would again become the governing water rights rules under the bill.

Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), who sponsored the bill, noted that a U.S. District Court judge has already thrown out much of the science used to justify the decision to divert water away from farms. "The court's decision was a shocking indictment of the kind of government operating in America today when it comes to our environmental laws," he said.

Historic California Water Bill Passes House - Final Vote 246/175

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Today, Congressman Devin Nunes announced House passage of H.R. 1837, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Water Reliability Act.

“Today’s vote is an enormous victory for the people of California. With House passage, we are halfway through the legislative process and now can look to the Senate for their response. Will our Senators help restore our property rights and end the death grip of radicals over California’s water supply or will we have to look to others in the Senate to lead the charge?” said Rep. Devin Nunes.

More information, including a list of hundreds of organizations and businesses supporting H.R. 1837, can be found at www.nunes.house.gov/water

Video from the debate can be viewed here.

Remarks of Congressman Devin Nunes

H.R. 1837 Floor Debate

(as prepared)

“After 20 years under CVPIA, Congress can conclude one thing: flushing fresh water into the San Francisco Bay is not helping to recover species and people are suffering needlessly.

We are going to hear a lot from the opponents of this bill about science and I want to start right off and make one thing clear.

We are supporting sound science with H.R. 1837 and we are rejecting the junk-science that has long been foisted on the people of California – junk science that the federal court has labeled the unlawful work of zealots.

I think it is important for me to impress upon the House that opponents of H.R. 1837 do not possess scientific high ground as they are all but certain to allege.

Their experts and the activists masquerading as experts who support them have been biased from the beginning and have molded their work to produce the findings that best suit their radical agenda.

We can say with certainty that this agenda has not improved the fish populations. If that were true, we wouldn’t be here today.

The U.S. District Court has thrown out the biological decisions used to justify the horrible regulations that cut off the water supply to families through California.

The court’s decision was a shocking indictment of the kind of government operating in America today when it comes to our environmental laws.

The U.S. District Court judge said “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

He went on to say that government scientists acted like zealots and had attempted to mislead and to deceive the Court into accepting junk science.

These are powerful statements by a federal court and should give anyone who believes in due process, open government and justice cause for concern.

Yet the band marched on without missing a beat and instead of disciplining these scientists the Fish and Wildlife Service gave them awards for outstanding performance under intense pressure.

The arrogant disregard for the public trust didn’t stop there. President Obama’s VETO threat doubles-down on this dishonest smear campaign - accusing House Republicans of doing just the sort of thing his Administration has been found guilty of.

Mr. Speaker, we are not ignoring the latest science in favor of special interests.

We are not the people who are sending zealots into the federal court to lie in defense of junk science.

We are not the people who are rigging regulations to favor a small minority of left-wing interest groups.

The agenda driven junk science governing the Bay-Delta is indefensible and again, as the federal court said, dishonest.

Congress needs to ask, “Who are these people?”

The answers will disturb you.

Dr. Peter Gleick, for example, helped make the case for drying up California farmland and rural communities – including in testimony before Congress.

Peter Gleick is an activist-scientist who just a few weeks ago admitted to impersonating one of his critics and stealing information from a non-profit.

He then mingled that stolen information with a faked memo in an effort to discredit his intellectual critics.

Radicals like Peter Gleick lie and they make it their mission to destroy scientists who don’t agree with their twisted anti-human views.

Meanwhile, they are used by some in this House as an excuse to take people’s water away, to dry up farmland, and to justify human suffering.

People in our nation’s bread basket are standing in food lines to get carrots from China.

And their sacrifices have meant nothing to the environment. We need to do better. We need to vote yes on the Rule and yes on HR 1837.”

National and Local Organizations Support Republican Plan to Stop Man-Made California Drought

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT

National and Local Organizations Support Republican Plan to Stop Man-Made California Drought

Organizations from across the country are calling for passage of H.R. 1837, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Water Reliability Act, legislation to prevent future California man-made droughts. This comprehensive solution will bring water supply certainty to the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys, protect 30,000 jobs, generate millions in federal revenue, and decrease reliance on foreign food sources.

What They’re Saying:

National Taxpayers Union
"California water policy has always been an extremely complex process involving numerous, often competing, interests. The Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Water Reliability Act would strike an elegant and sensible balance among many concerns, including property rights, environmental sustainability, and economic development, all in a way that benefits citizens as well as governments at many levels."

Americans for Tax Reform
“Restoring long held water rights, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Water Reliability Act is necessary to return thousands of jobs to California’s San-Joaquin Valley. This once vibrant region is stymied by an obtrusive government that is preventing local farmers from acquiring water needed to grow crops and produce. Given the number of Americans searching for work, [H.R. 1837] is commonsense measure that can’t be signed into law fast enough.”

Citizens Against Government Waste
“It is reprehensible that the federal government would put the needs of fish before the livelihoods of Americans and the wallets of taxpayers. [CAGW]strongly urges support [for] the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Water Reliability Act.”

Americans for Limited Government
“[HR 1837] would bring relief to farmers in the Central Valley and those to the north in the Sacramento Valley. Going back to the many issues that plague California, this bill is a welcomed change. It costs nothing, yet restores the rights of citizens, raises federal revenues and puts thousands of people back to work.”

“It’s hard to believe that a government would be willing to withhold water from its citizens in an attempt to protect a fish. You might see this behavior from a corrupt dictator in another country, but it should never happen in America.”

U.S. Chamber of Commerce
“Water is the most essential element to life on earth and an economic driver for strengthening our economy and keeping our communities vibrant and healthy.”

“HR 1837 would restore water deliveries to communities by codifying the historic, bipartisan “Bay-Delta Accord,” a water agreement entered into by the State of California, the Federal government, water agencies, and environmental organizations.”

Supima Cotton
“We believe [HR 1837] offers a solution that would restore water deliveries that have been cut-off due to federal regulations and environmental lawsuits, ensure a reliable water supply for people and fish, protect and secure water rights and save taxpayers money…”

Western Plant Health Association
“WPHA believes it is critical that water reliability be restored to the San Joaquin Valley before water availability returns to crisis levels. This bill is an important step in creating balance between agricultural needs, urban water demands, and environmental protection.”

National Chicken Council
“At a critical time like now when full production of all crops across the United States is necessary to hold-down food inflation, expand exports, and re-employ workers, it is not acceptable to have arbitrary and unnecessary government restrictions on the appropriate and prudent use of cropland in the Valley. The National Chicken Council stands with our counterparts in supporting passage of HR 1837, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Water Reliability Act.”

Madera County Board of Supervisors
“HR 1837 adequately addresses the Central Valley’s water concerns by addressing the need for a reliable water supply for both urban and agricultural users while working towards restoring balance, flexibility and consistency to operations of the Central Valley Project and California Water Project.”

Kern County Water Agency
“[HR 1837] is an ambitious effort to address those issues by improving the almost 10-year old Central Valley Project Improvement Act (CVPIA), improving the Endangered Species Act standards in the Delta, simplifying the tangled implementation issues surrounding the San Joaquin River Settlement Agreement (Settlement Agreement), and improving fiscal and contract management of the Central Valley Project (CVP).”

Apricot Producers of California
“Because apricot production is located on the Westside of the San Joaquin Valley, a reliable, stable water source such as HR 1837 provides is absolutely necessary of the continued production of apricots in California.”

“This was an agreement that guaranteed water to all, while doing it in a manner that was agreeable to restoring the ecosystem while improving the water supply.”

California Cattlemen’s Association
“Creating a balance between environmental and agricultural needs is a goal that we believe HR 1837 achieves well.”

“By allowing water districts to maximize their conjunctive use of ground and surface water, this bill will help farmers and ranchers ensure that they will be able to survive dry seasons without incurring large operational costs.”

California Cotton Ginners and Growers Associations
“We believe this bill offers that comprehensive solution that would restore water delivers that have been cut-off due to federal regulations and environmental lawsuits, ensure a reliable water supply for people and fish, protect and secure water rights and save tax payer money by ending unnecessary and dubious government projects that accomplish little if any benefits.”

California Poultry Federation
“When this legislation passes, it would restore the flow of water to communities in the world’s most productive and progressive agricultural region, creating more than 25,000 jobs and much more water each year.”

“It would save taxpayers $1 billion and reaffirm a water accord supported by both political parties.”

California Water Alliance
“The Act is the critical first step in achieving balance among the urban, rural, and environmental demand on California’s Central Valley Project and State Water Pro
ject. The Act improves the federal government’s approach to solving the ongoing water crisis and the state and federal policies that have led to recent economic and human devastation.”

Families Protecting the Valley
“Like all other legislation to come out of Congress, it still has to get through the Senate. We know that’s an iffy proposition, but because this act is based on the 1994 Bay Delta Accord that was highly praised and supported by U.S. Senator Diane Feinstein, Congressman George Miller, Interior Secretary Bruce Babbit and Governor Pete Wilson, we feel it has to be taken seriously and given a chance.”

Family Farm Alliance
“Opponents of the legislation ignore that under the provisions of HR 1837, the Central Valley Project would annually manage more than 1.5 million acre-feed for fish and wildlife restoration and enhancement, and the California State Water Project would annually contribute 500 thousand acre-feed toward these purposes.”

“HR 1837 would require that federal and state fishery agencies more efficiently manage water supplied dedicated to fish and wildlife restoration and enhancement holding environmental uses of water to the same standard currently applied to farms throughout the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys.”

Greater Fresno Area Chamber of Commerce
“This bill is a critical step in solving California’s water crisis while attempting to achieve balance between urban, rural, and environmental demands on the Central Valley Project and State Water Project.”

Fresno County Farm Bureau
“California farmers are at the forefront of efficiently utilizing their water supplies to produce a bounty of agricultural products desire around the world…..The provisions of HR 1837 reflect a commitment to protecting water rights and to building a more reliable water supply for the state and agriculture.”

Madera County Farm Bureau
“This is an incentive with an end result that benefits all water users, and is beneficial for the environment.”

“We have long been aware that we do not have a water supply problem in California. What is occurring today is a water delivery problem. HR 1837 will aid in addressing deliver constraints.”

“Many factors, including timing of the Delta Smelt legal ruling, contributed to a San Joaquin River Settlement that is inherently flawed, economically infeasible, and ineffective at addressing the multiple challenges in the CVPIA service area as a whole.”

Kings County Farm Bureau
“The Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Water Reliability Act promotes water policies that facilitate the delivery of California’s abundant supply of water, as well as support the implementation of an economically feasible and environmentally sustainable river restoration on the San Joaquin River.”

Almond Hullers and Processors Association
“Members of AHPA represent over 90% of the California Almond industry based on tonnage…. We appreciate all efforts made to protect the San Joaquin Valley water supply as it’s vital to the wellbeing of our industry and our state.”

Fresno Board of Supervisors
“It (is) with tremendous pride that Fresno County is the number one agricultural county in the nation with a value of more than $5.9 billion in 2010. We feed and clothe the world but we cannot continue to produce without a more reliable water supply for California and agriculture. HR 1837 is critical in achieving a balance between urban, rural and environmental demands.”

Merced County Farm Bureau
“Water is the lifeblood of farming and ranching in Merced County and without a sustainable supply, fertile land will go fallow, less production will occur and even more jobs will be lost."

Northern California Water Association
“The bill also now unequivocally and expressly states that the federal government will not attempt to solve environmental challenges in the California Bay Delta (Delta) at the expense of those within the Sacramento River watershed and other areas upstream of the Delta.”

San Joaquin Tributary Association
“At a time when one in eight Americans does not have enough food, this legislation is of critical importance.”

More on H.R. 1837 at http://www.nunes.house.gov/water.