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[Page H2942]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
AMERICANS DEPEND ON CLEAN WATER
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from
California (Mrs. Napolitano) for 5 minutes.
Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, as the chair of the Transportation and
Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment, I rise
to celebrate Clean Water Week. I would like to take this opportunity to
highlight the importance of water for our communities, not only in my
home State of California, but across the country. Americans depend on
clean water for their health, the health of their communities, and the
health of the economy.
Our water resources are precious, and every drop matters, which is
why we need significant Federal investment in our Nation's
infrastructure and strong Federal protections for our Nation's water
resources.
We need to protect our waterways, large and small, from pollution;
ensure we conserve our water resources; recycle water where we can; and
protect our groundwater resources for long-term reliance.
There are tremendous clean water infrastructure needs facing our
country. Our communities, large and small, urban and rural, and tribal,
as well as our American families are facing great challenges in meeting
these needs.
Today, our Nation's network of sewers, stormwater conveyances, and
treatment facilities are aging, often very outdated, and, in many
places all over the country, not meeting the needs of our communities
or water quality standards.
We, in Congress, need to do more, not only to renew the Federal
financial commitment to repair, replace, and upgrade our water-related
infrastructure, but also to ensure that this work remains affordable to
all of our communities.
Today, too many Americans are uncertain whether their drinking water
is safe for themselves and for their families. Now is not the time to
cut back on the protections of our Nation's clean water. Yet, this
administration is proposing to do just that.
For more than 45 years, the Clean Water Act has helped to protect our
streams, our rivers, our wetlands, and our lakes, and provided States
with the tools to keep our waters clean. This administration has
proposed eliminating longstanding protections for small streams and
wetlands, which play a very important role in feeding our drinking
water resources. They also help store water during storms and alleviate
flooding, which, in turn, protects communities. These small streams and
wetlands help recharge our groundwater supplies. They also filter
pollution and provide habitat for fish and wildlife.
Clean and safe water is a very basic human need. Unfortunately, this
administration has made it a priority to dismantle the Clean Water Act,
regardless of what the science or the law provides. The President's
#DirtyWaterRule puts our water and health at risk and must be stopped.
Our drought cycle in southern California continues, even though we
have had repeated rain in March. We must continue to conserve. This
must be the new norm for us in the West.
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