Republicans on the House Natural Resources Committee today announced that they will hold a congressional forum on resolving the San Joaquin Valley water crisis in Fresno, California on Monday, January 25, 2010. Further details including time, location and meeting format will be announced in the upcoming weeks.

“There is no time to waste on reversing the plight of the San Joaquin Valley,” said Water and Power Subcommittee Ranking Republican Tom McClintock (CA-04). “Time and again, we have asked the Democrat Majority to hear the concerns of residents and to act immediately to turn the water pumps back on. The only response has been a newspaper account that a field hearing will be held on water recycling in southern California. While 40,000 people are unemployed, communities literally dry up and the water pumps stand idle. The Pelosi-led Congress is not listening and has not taken action, and a message needs to be sent that someone is listening, so we have been forced to hold this forum on our own. This water crisis impacts everyone and we welcome the input of Democrats, Republicans and Independents.”

“This forum is necessary in order to hear firsthand from the people and communities impacted by the man-made drought,” said Full Committee Ranking Member Doc Hastings (WA-04). “There are serious problem with our Nation’s environmental laws that prioritize fish over people. This is evident when one of the most fertile agricultural areas is importing food from China to feed the needy. If it can happen in California, it can happen anywhere and that’s why it’s important for Congress to travel to the Valley.”

Background

Subcommittee Ranking Member Tom McClintock and other Republican members have repeatedly called on the Democrat majority to hold a field hearing in the San Joaquin Valley on California’s water crisis:

• McClintock Statement on Democrats’ Proposed Southern California Field Hearing on Water Crisis (12/4/09)

• Water and Power Subcommittee Ranking Republican McClintock Requests Field Hearing on California Drought (10/27/09)

• McClintock letter to House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Nick Rahall and Water and Power Subcommittee Chairwoman Grace Napolitano requesting a field hearing on the California drought (10/26/09)

• Letter from Representatives George Radanovich, Devin Nunes and Kevin McCarthy requesting a field hearing on the man-made California drought (6/4/2009)

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