December 16 Update: The President signed the water bill today. The California Chamber of Commerce is urging President Barack Obama to sign landmark federal water legislation that passed Congress last week. S. 612, the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (WIIN), contains much-needed funding for water projects that will greatly improve California’s ability to thrive in future years. It will allow water regulators to make the best use of water to benefit all parts of the state. The legislation is the result of months of hard work involving California representatives in Congress: House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) and his fellow Congress members, and U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-San Francisco). “This bill provides an important framework for improving California’s water reliability while balancing the environmental requirements of our state,” said CalChamber President and CEO Allan Zaremberg. “This legislation represents an important compromise that will go a long way toward improving California’s ever-present challenges.” S. 612 cleared the U.S. House of Representatives on December 7 with a 360-61 vote, then passed the U.S. Senate on December 9 on a vote of 78-21. Feinstein said the water legislation is critical as “California is now entering into our sixth year of drought…and [...]
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