House Passes Federal Water Package

Washington, D.C. — The $558-millon plan has made it past one hurdle and now heads to the U.S. Senate.

As reported here, Wednesday Mother Lode Republican Congressman Tom McClintock threw his support behind the bill praising the bi-partisanship negotiations involved in brokering the deal and noting that it would reduce some of the restrictions when it comes to water releases out of New Melones.

Democrat Senator Dianne Feinstein earlier this week endorsed the package that would increase storage, desalination efforts, recycling and wildlife protection programs. House Majority Leader Republican Kevin McCarthy worked with Feinstein to hammer out the water deal, touting that the agreement solves a problem years in the making and will increase water delivery to the San Joaquin Valley and southern California while streamlining infrastructure projects to secure future water supplies.

The bill passed on Thursday by a vote of 360-61 even as some Democrats complained that the drought measure was a giveaway to California farmers and businesses. An opponent of the measure, Democrat Senator Barbara Boxer, has vowed to defeat the drought measure in the Senate.