Rep. Neguse’s Bipartisan Drought Preparedness Act Passes Through Committee with Unanimous Support

Washington, D.C. — Yesterday, Co-Chairs of the Bipartisan Colorado River Caucus, Representatives Joe Neguse (D-CO) and Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ), passed their bill to address water scarcity and improve drought preparedness through the House Committee on Natural Resources. The Drought Preparedness Act, which now heads to the House Floor for consideration, reauthorizes the Reclamation States Emergency Drought Relief Act through 2028, allowing the Bureau of Reclamation to continue to minimize drought damages and losses and improve water availability for those harmed by drought.

“I am excited to see the Natural Resources Committee take action to address the historic drought crisis and send my bill, the Drought Preparedness Act, to the House Floor for consideration. We must continue to ensure that key drought relief initiatives have the support needed to tackle this issue head on, and I will keep pushing to get this bill across the finish line,” said Congressman Neguse. 

“This bipartisan legislation will ensure our communities have continued access to programs that help us safeguard our water future. As Arizona faces a historic drought, water management programs and projects to minimize water losses are more important than ever. I am glad to see our bipartisan legislation head to the House floor and getting one step closer to becoming law,” said Congressman Ciscomani. 

In October, Representatives Neguse and Ciscomani introduced the Drought Preparedness Act as part of a bipartisan legislative package to improve water resilience in the West. The bills included in the package would extend the authorization of emergency drought relief programs and increase water measurement and monitoring technologies.

Background

Congressman Joe Neguse, whose district includes the headwaters of the Colorado River, has been working to address water-related issues, enacting significant bills that invest in drought resilience and water management. In July of last year, he was able to secure passage of his monumental legislative package, the Wildfire Response and Drought Resiliency Act, through the House of Representatives. Additionally, as co-founder and Co-Chair of the Congressional Colorado River Caucus, Rep. Neguse formed a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers each representing a state along the Colorado River Basin. The lawmakers are working to build consensus on critical issues plaguing the river and support the work of the Colorado River Basin states on how best to address the worsening levels of drought in the Colorado River Basin. 

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