{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases/ciscomani-leads-bipartisan-push-improve-drought-and-flood-resiliency-efforts", "Ciscomani Leads Bipartisan Push to Improve Drought and Flood Resiliency Efforts", "2023-11-30", "2023", "2023-11", "Republican", "House", "AZ", "Juan Ciscomani", "C001133", "ciscomani.house.gov", "ciscomani", "https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Representative Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ-06) this week led a bipartisan group of his colleagues on legislation to support drought and flood resiliency across the country by improving a watershed program under the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).\n\nThe Healthy Watershed, Healthy Communities Act focuses on the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service\u2019s (NRCS) Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations program, known as \u201cPL-566\u201d. The legislation aims to improve the PL-566 program by streamlining the program\u2019s planning and administrative processes and creating parity in funding allocations between southwest states and other areas of the country.\n\nCiscomani is joined on the legislation by Reps. Yadira Caraveo (D-CO-08), Harriet Hageman (R-WY-AL), Brittany Pettersen (D-CO-07), Mike Flood (R-NE-01), and Joe Neguse (D-CO-02). In August, U.S. Senator Michael Bennett (D-CO) introduced companion legislation in the Senate alongside Sens. Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR). Text of the bill is available here.\n\n\u201cIn areas across my district, programs like the PL-566 program are essential to mitigate flood or drought damage, ultimately ensuring better water security, a lifeline for Arizona\u2019s desert communities,\u201d said Rep. Ciscomani. \u201cBy cutting red tape and implementing commonsense fixes, we build on previous successes of the program and allow our communities to tap into the full potential of the resources available to them.\u201d\n\n\u201cWater is the most valuable commodity in the West, essential for sustaining people, farms, and wildlife. But two decades of climate change-fueled drought has devastated watersheds in Colorado and the region, posing an existential threat to Colorado\u2019s farmers and ranchers, and everyone who relies on them,\u201d said Rep. Caraveo. \u201cI\u2019m proud to join my colleagues in introducing the bipartisan Healthy Watersheds, Healthy Communities Act \u2013 a bill that will make the PL-566 program work better for the American West and support drought resilience in Colorado.\u201d\n\n\u201cWater is one of humanity\u2019s most important resources,\u201d said Rep. Hageman. \u201cProtecting and managing our water resources is critically important, having immense consequences for local communities and our nation\u2019s food supply and energy production. Yet confusing, contradictory, and unnecessary regulatory processes and bureaucratic delays prevent needed investments in building and managing our water storage infrastructure. The Healthy Watersheds, Healthy Communities Act addresses some of these concerns by providing greater control of watersheds to our irrigation districts and local irrigators who better understand local hydrology, systems, and needs. As a strong proponent of decentralized control and greater investment in local organizations, I\u2019m proud to join my colleagues, as well as the Wyoming Stock Growers Association, in support of this bill.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs climate change continues to affect our water resources\u2014especially in Colorado\u2014we must ensure we have a resilient watershed management system in place,\u201d said Rep. Pettersen. \u201cThis bill will streamline planning and help us conserve water more efficiently, so our communities and farmers are better equipped for the next drought or flood.\u201d\n\n\u201cAllowing for more local control and flexibility in managing projects funded by the Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations program will help stakeholders tailor solutions to steward our resources and meet the needs of local communities,\u201d said Rep. Flood. \u201cThank you to Representatives Ciscomani, Hageman, Neguse, Caraveo, and Petterson for your leadership on this issue in the House as well as our colleagues in the Senate.\u201d\n\nThis legislation is supported by the Arizona Farm Bureau, Central Arizona Irrigation and Drainage Districts, Family Farm Alliance, Almond Alliance, Environmental Defense Fund, Farmers Conservation Alliance, Oregon Water Resources Congress, the Freshwater Trust, the Wyoming Stockgrowers Association, Western Growers, Trout Unlimited, the St. Vrain & Left Hand Water Conservancy District, and the Nature Conservancy.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:01:09Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases/ciscomani-leads-bipartisan-push-improve-drought-and-flood-resiliency-efforts"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4200699515640736, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}