CONGRESSMAN ADAM GRAY STANDS ALONE AMONG DEMOCRATS TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF VALLEY WATER FUNDING IN NATURAL RESOURCES RECONCILIATION PACKAGE

WASHINGTON, DC — In last night’s House Natural Resources Committee meeting, Congressman Gray offered an amendment to the committee’s reconciliation proposal that would have directed $8 billion in funding for water storage projects in the Central Valley. Congressman Gray was the sole Democratic vote in favor of sending the committee’s package to the House Floor for a final vote. 

“While there’s plenty I disagree with in this bill, as some of my colleagues have eloquently pointed out, there’s $2 billion in this bill for water storage and conveyance,” Congressman Gray said while offering his amendment to the committee. “We need serious investments in conveyance so that we can move that water.”

“Instead of, for the cost of $2 billion, getting a little over half a million acre-feet of water, you could get over 2 million acre-feet [with my proposed funding level of $8 billion] and actually solve some of California’s water problems, which doesn’t just benefit California, but benefits many states.”

Congressman Gray’s amendment would have increased the funding level for Valley water projects from the $2 billion that the committee originally proposed to $8 billion, a figure more reflective of the project needs across Central Valley water districts. While that amendment was not adopted by the committee, Congressman Gray voted to report the Committee’s reconciliation proposal favorably, or send the committee’s portion of the larger reconciliation package to House leadership for a floor vote. 

Watch Congressman Gray’s full remarks from the House Natural Resources Committee here.

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