Rep. Denham named to the Subcommittee on Water and Power

Washington, DC. – Rep. Jeff Denham today expands his influence over the House debate on water issues and his ability to address California’s water crisis by joining the Subcommittee on Water and Power in the House Committee on Natural Resources.  With a seat on the Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure as well, Rep. Denham now has jurisdiction over many programs including the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Bureau of Reclamation.

The unemployment rates are consistently above the national average in the Central Valley. As a long time farmer in the area, Rep. Denham understands the immediacy of the water crisis and will remain committed to bringing water back to the Central Valley in order for farmers to grow crops and put people back to work.

“I understand the importance of bringing water to the Central Valley,” said Rep. Denham. “The current administration has been too passive on this issue and the previously Democratic controlled Congress had misplaced priorities.  The lack of water has caused significant unemployment numbers and nearly 500,000 acres of farm land to lay fallow.”

Rep. Denham will continue to advocate for the livelihood of the people from the Central Valley as part of the Subcommittee on Water and Power which exercises jurisdiction over all measures and matters pertaining to irrigation, reclamation projects and other water resources development and recycling programs, including policies and procedure.

Today Rep. Denham was also named as part of the Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairsin the Committee on Natural Resources.