Press Release

Congressman Ami Bera, M.D. has joined Congressman Jared Huffman and several other members from California and western states in introducing legislation that will help deal with California's historic drought in a comprehensive way. The Drought Relief and Resilience Act includes feedback from nearly 1,000 Californians from all over the state, including those from cities and rural areas.

The legislation includes both short- and long-term solutions to build new clean water infrastructure in California and expand the water supply, while creating jobs and not undermining environmental safeguards, preempting state laws, or helping one area of the state at the expense of another.

"For the fourth year in a row, drought and dry conditions are hurting many Sacramento County families, small businesses, and farmers," said Bera. "We have to work together to address this growing crisis. That's why I've signed onto this bill with both immediate, emergency help, and a long-term, comprehensive plan for securing water access and storage throughout the state. It adds to our water supply rather than taking from it; it's based on sound science; and it does not put southern water interests ahead of northern. This shouldn't be a partisan issue, or one that pits one region against the other, and it's not a problem that's going away. It impacts us all and I hope my colleagues in both parties and from all parts of the state will do what's right and work together to pass legislation to deal with our drought."

"The drought deserves real solutions, considered in an open debate," said Huffman. "I am grateful to the nearly 1,000 Californians that weighed in on my bill and supplied their ideas, their feedback, and their questions, helping this to be the most open, transparent legislative process we've seen in response to the drought. This is what a serious response to western water and drought looks like. It helps every drought-impacted state and region with critically-needed short-term actions and longer-term solutions to help us through future droughts. It will yield much greater water supply benefits, and make that water available far faster, than other congressional proposals we've seen—especially the secretive House GOP bill which would ignite a water war without any meaningful benefits to most of California. I hope my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and in both chambers of Congress can come together around this bill and ensure our state and the arid American West can get through this drought—together."

Bera has been fighting for long-term and comprehensive solutions to address California's drought since coming to Congress, voting repeatedly to fund upgrades at the Folsom Dam, a project that creates infrastructure jobs while boosting Folsom Lake's water storage capacity to hold onto more water during drought years, fighting for legislation to increase water storage at other California reservoirs, and supporting water recycling efforts. He's also working to provide resources to Sacramento County residents being impacted by the drought. For more information visit: /droughtrelief.

Original cosponsors of The Drought Relief and Resilience Act include: Reps. Sam Farr (D-CA), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Jerry McNerney (D-CA), Mike Thompson (D-CA), Mike Honda (D-CA), Alan Lowenthal (D-CA), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), John Garamendi (D-CA), Mark Takai (D-HI), Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Tony Cardenas (D-CA), Lois Capps (D-CA), Scott Peters (D-CA), Eric Swalwell (D-CA), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Jackie Speier (D-CA), Beto O'Rourke (D-TX), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Ami Bera (D-CA), Norma Torres (D-CA), Linda Sanchez (D-CA), Loretta Sanchez (D-CA), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Ed Perlmutter (D-CO), Dina Titus (D-AZ), Doris Matsui (D-CA), Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Raul Ruiz (D-CA), and Susan Davis (D-CA).

A PDF of the drought response bill can be found HERE.

Congressman Ami Bera, M.D. represents Sacramento County. Born and raised in California, Bera is a physician and the only Indian American currently serving in Congress. He's fighting to rebuild an economy that works for middle class families and to reduce our country's debt in a responsible way. One of Bera's first acts in Congress was to help lead the effort to pass the No Budget No Pay Act, which says if members of Congress don't pass a budget, they don't get paid. As a leader of the No Labels' Problem Solvers, he's working with people from both parties to find bipartisan solutions to our nation's challenges. He and his wife Janine live in Elk Grove with their daughter Sydra. For more updates on Rep. Bera follow @RepBera on Twitter, like Congressman Bera on Facebook, or visit https://www.bera.house.gov.