Youve already faced any number of challenges in recent years, low commodity prices, tariff wars, only to face the greatest health and Economic Disaster any of us have experienced in our lifetimes. And then, when you thought nothing else could go wrong, Something Else does go wrong. You have to face a severe drought. 1200 farms in the basin in california dont have to imagine this situation, madam president , because theyre living through it as we speak. The clements basin is sometimes referred to as the western everglades, an area rich with Agricultural Resources and exceptional populations of wildlife. This basin attraction 50 of the fowl, a population of bald eagles, anywhere in the 48 states, and home to some of the most productive salmon River Systems in the country. It is also home to 1200 family owned farms of different sizes encompassing some 200,000 acres of farmland and that farmland is irrigated with water from both the tributaries of the river and the lake. Those who are familiar with the basin will know that the water is essential to the health of the river, to the health of the lake for the wildlife in the refuge and for the economic success of the ranchers and the economic success of the farmers. In many years, theres enough water to address all of these goals. But in other years, years like this year, 2020, there isnt enough water to go around. So when you have a dry year with less water in the lake and the river, its bad for everyone. Bad for the refuge. Bad for the river. Bad for the lake. Its a horrific challenge for our ranchers and for our farmers. And this year, 2020 isnt just a dry year, it is, quote, as difficult of a year as anyone could have imagined, according to jeff nettleton, area manager of the bureau of reclamation office. And our governor, kay brown, put it this way back in march. Drought conditions arrived early and have persisted, including reduced snow back. Reduced precipitation, minimal stream flow. In other words, a perfect storm of challenges. The governor went on to say that the longterm forecast for the region continues for warmer than normal temperatures and lower than normal precipitation. And theres been nothing in the two months since see said that that has reversed that course. As of last friday, snow pack in the region, the natural reservoir that pre replenishes the lakes and streams, was just 28 of normal. You can get some sense of how bad the drought is this year by looking at the historic numbers. This is one way of presenting it. We can see deliveries that are coming to the upper lake project and the, but lines are the more normal years and then we have the worst ever drought of 2001 and then we have the terrible drought of 2010. And here we are with this years drought deliveries forecast to be essentially the same as 2001. In 2001 there was a water war in oregon. Some of you may remember that there was a Bucket Brigade to take water out of the canal ditch or into or put water in the canal ditch. There were protests. There was great anger and frustrati frustration. Since then in 2010 though we had worked out partnerships between the competing consistencies. They worked to gather to try to develop a plan for the region. So that when crisis hit, they could be in partnership, rather than in conflict. And so 2010 didnt end up to be National News like 2001. Well, im here tonight to say that part of that partnership was working with the federal government intensely to provide assistance, to provide assistance in funding that would help retire or disconnect the use of water rights for a different year and to pump water out of the ground. Use ground water, which is very expensive. The Water Use Association says that typically, 350,000 acre feet of water is needed to fully irrigate the basin. At the beginning of this season, farmers were told theyd get a fraction of that. Maybe 140,000 acre feet of water. So they went to work with that in mind. They have to charge the canals, get initial water into the canals and prepare for planning, prepare for the water that would come with summer. And they used about 25,000 of that 140,000 acre feet. But there was less water even than anticipated. Unexpectedly low inflows from the snow pack. Not enough snow and it melted too fast. And so now, its not 140,000 acre feet, its 80,000. Again, putting it on a par with 2001 that generated so much tension and conflict and anxiety. That means that just 50,000 acre feet remain and compare that to the typical 350,000 needed to fully irrigate the basin. So, farmers are going to be cut off. Ranchers are going to be cut off. We need here in congress to come to their help. The basin and the 1200 farmers are in deep trouble. The impacts dont just stop with them. It will be felt up and down the economy. No crops to harvest, our food chain takes a big hit, the workers who usually harvest these crops arent going to have jobs to go to. Local businesses that supply things like seed and fertilizer and farm equipment. Well, theyre hit hard, too. So the farmers and the community, the Economic Community need our help and they need it now. The worst thing we can do is stand by and say in these times of trouble, we arent here to help. And thats why tomorrow ill be introducing a bill that will give the bureau of reclamation, the authority for 10 million a year that has been previously authorized and appropriated to work with the farmers and the basins ranching community. Now, this money, as i mentioned has already been authorized. Its already been appropriated so why should i need to introduce a bill . Well, the answer is, a lot of bureaucratic red tape, in 2018, senator wyden and i worked here and greg walden worked and we got a concept into the developments act, and it passed. That bill passed and went to the oval office and it had president trumps support. After the bill was enacted the lawyers at the bureau of reclamation said, im sorry, the language we gave you isnt quite right on further examination and we cant release this, these funds. And so, last year, senator wyden and i were able to work again in partnership with congressman walden, and then in july of 2019 we passed language here in the senate to fix this. Well, okay. Thats great except that bill didnt make it through the house. The technical corrections bill never made it to the oval office. So there is 10 million out there authorized, previously appropriated, that needs a technical fix to be able to help out our farmers and ranchers right now. Now, im not saying to all of you that this will be enough help in this incredibly horrific drought year. We may well need significantly more, but at least this first step should be taken right away and thats the bill ill be introducing tomorrow with the full support again of my partners this this effort, co congressman walden and senator wyden. Ranchers need help and they need it now. This is not a silver bullet, but its something easily within our reach. Lets do these simple things that are within our reach. Money thats been authorized. Money thats been appropriated. Money that hit a Technical Glitch at the bureau of reclamation and lets get help to idle land and pump water to provide assistance. I thank all of my colleagues who helped so much in 2010 when i came to this floor under similar circumstances and we gained unanimous consent for this bill. And congressman walden came down the hallway to vouch for the issues we were facing so we were hearing bipartisan reputation of the challenges, addressing the challenges that our ranchers and farmers in the basin faced. Thats what well do again. I would ask for each and every