U.S.
Congress, Washington D.C. ____ Thursday December 8th Representative Paul
Cook (R- Apple Valley) voted for S.612, the Water Infrastructure Improvements
for the Nation (WIIN) Act. The Bill passed the House of Representatives
with overwhelming bipartisan support.
The measure includes language from the Water Resources
Development Act of 2016, which passed the House in September, in addition to
provisions to improve drinking water infrastructure, improve water storage and
delivery to drought-stricken communities, address federal dam maintenance
backlogs, and approve longstanding water settlement agreements. The Bill also,
addresses the needs of America’s harbors, dams, flood protection, and other
water resource infrastructure.
Specifically the Bill improves water storage and delivery
for suffering, drought-stricken communities in California and other parts of
the West. It expedites water storage and delivery and alternative water supply
programs in the West to help many communities that are suffering from the
drought. It also provides regulatory flexibility to capture more water in
existing reservoirs during the wet months in California while not changing the
Endangered Species Act.
Representative Paul Cook said, “Thursday’s much-needed
legislation, is the most significant drought relief legislation in decades….” Over the past few years, Californians have
continued to suffer from droughts without any real infrastructural changes to
improve the situation. The WIIN Act brings relief to
drought-stricken communities, and it increases our ability to maximize our
current water supply. I’m hopeful this common-sense legislation will pass in
the Senate and be signed into law.”
A member of the
House Natural Resources, Armed Services, and Foreign Affairs Committees, Cook
served as an infantry officer and retired after 26 years as a Colonel in the
U.S. Marine Corps. During his time in combat, he was awarded the Bronze Star
and two Purple Hearts.