Today, the House passed two bills, one overriding conservation laws and the other overriding water laws. How productive!
The first bill was the Sportsmen’s Heritage and Recreational Enhancement Act (H.R. 3590). It passed 268 to 154, garnering the support of 41 Democrats.
The bill is a collection of Republican proposals to roll back environmental restrictions on the use of federal land.
Republicans railed against perceived restrictions on hunting, shooting, and fishing on federal lands. However, as Rep. Jim McGovern (MA-02) explained, 75% of all federal lands are already open to such recreational use, and H.R. 3590 would override conservation laws, effectively elevating hunting and shooting over all other uses of federal lands.
Here is the description of the bill—and the reasons for opposition—from the Hill:
Democrats' biggest objection to the bill was language that would require the government to encourage these activities on federal land, which the Obama administration said goes too far by overriding environmental goals. For example, it says allowing recreational hunting, fishing and sport shooting cannot be considered a major factor affecting the environment, and that no additional consideration of environmental impacts are needed.
The bill scraps an existing conservation council and sets up a new advisory committee that would have to include the views of sportsmen on conservation issues. It also ensures people have the right to carry firearms on land owned by the Army Corps of Engineers — the Obama administration opposes these measures as well.
But Democrats seemed fine with other provisions, such as language boosting federal funds for states to establish and maintain shooting ranges, and provisions letting states issue conservation permits electronically.
The bill also lets the government issue permits for commercial film crews to film on federal land in crew of five or less. And, it allows for the import of polar bear hunting trophies from Canada that were taken before May 2008, when the polar bear was listed as an endangered species.
The bill, unsurprisingly, is DOA in the Senate. The White House opposes it but did not issue a veto threat.
Here are the 41 Democrats who voted for it:
Ron Barber (AZ-02)
John Barrow (GA-12)
Sanford Bishop (GA-02)
Corinne Brown (FL-05)
Cheri Bustos(IL-17)
Kathy Castor (FL-14)
Lacy Clay (MO-01)
Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05)
Jim Cooper (TN-05)
Jim Costa (CA-16)
Henry Cuellar (TX-28)
Bill Enyart (IL-12)
Pete Gallego (TX-23)
John Garamendi (CA-03)
Gene Green (TX-29)
Steven Horsford (NV-04)
Derek Kilmer (WA-06)
Ron Kind (WI-03)
Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ-01)
Dan Lipinski (IL-03)
Dave Loebsack (IA-02)
Sean Maloney (NY-18)
Jim Matheson (UT-04)
Mike McIntyre (NC-07)
Patrick Murphy (FL-18)
Rick Nolan (MN-08)
Bill Owens (NY-21)
Ed Perlmutter (CO-07)
Collin Peterson (MN-07
Jared Polis (CO-02)
Nick Rahall (WV-03)
Cedric Richmond (LA-02)
Tim Ryan (OH-13)
Kurt Schrader (OR-05)
Terri Sewell (AL-07)
Kyrsten Sinema (AZ-09)
Mike Thompson (CA-05)
Bennie Thompson (MS-02)
Filemon Vela (TX-34)
Tim Walz (MN-01)
Pete Welch (VT)
Pete DeFazio (OR-03) offered an amendment to eliminate the environmental waivers in the bill. It failed 185 to 237.
5 Republicans voted for it:
Sean Duffy (WI-07)
Michael McCaul (TX-10)
Matt Salmon (AZ-05)
Chris Stewart (UT-02)
David Valadao (CA-21)
16 Democrats voted against it:
John Barrow (GA-12)
Sanford Bishop (GA-02)
Cheri Bustos (IL-17)
Jim Costa (CA-16)
Henry Cuellar (TX-28)
Bill Enyart (IL-12)
Sam Farr (CA-20)
Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ-01)
Jim Matheson (UT-04)
Mike McIntyre (NC-07)
Bill Owens (NY-21)
Collin Peterson (MN-07)
Nick Rahall (WV-03)
Tim Ryan (OH-13)
Kurt Schrader (OR-05)
Tim Walz (MN-01)
Rush Holt (NJ-12) offered an amendment to allow the government to consider climate change as a factor in whether to keep federal land open for hunting and fishing. It failed 181 to 242.
All Republicans and 15 Democrats voted against it. The fifteen Democrats were the same as those who voted against DeFazio’s amendment, with the exception of Cost and Farr—and the addition of Gallego.
The second bill was the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Emergency Water Delivery Act, which attempted to override state water law in California. It passed 229 to 121.
Republicans blame the current drought in California on the president, particularly a 2009 requirement that water be diverted away from the Central Valley in order to protect fish.
Here is the description of the bill--and the reason for opposition--from the Hill:
The bill would require California to restore water deliveries to the Central Valley that were made under the 1994 Bay Delta Accord…Aside from ensuring the delivery of water, it also takes several other steps meant to ensure the stability of water supplies. For example, it focuses on using water resources only on the restoration of native fish species under the Central Valley Project Improvement Act, not some of the non-native species that have been included in recent years….Additionally, it would reduce the amount of water dedicated to fish, wildlife and habitat restoration to the original maximum levels required under current law….
Several California Democrats argued that the bill would undermine state law and California's constitution, and that the bill was a waste of time because the Senate would not consider it….
Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.), said the reason for the drought in California is lack of rain and snow, and that nothing in the bill would change that. "It would be more productive for this body to join in a rain dance on the floor today than to pass this bill," he said.
Rep. John Garamendi (D-Calif.) said the bill would essentially authorize the theft of water. "In this case, the water is going to be stolen…from the delta, from the environment, San Francisco bay, from the salmon, which is a huge industry in California…to be given to the largest single water district in the nation," he said.
….
Earlier in the day, the Obama administration said it opposes the bill, and that President Obama would veto it if it made it to his desk.
"Specifically, H.R. 3964 would undermine years of collaboration between local, State, and Federal stakeholders to develop a sound water quality control plan for the Bay-Delta," the administration wrote. "And, contrary to current and past Federal reclamation law that defers to State water law, the bill would preempt California water law."
2 Republicans opposed it: Justin Amash (MI-03) and Tom Massie (KY-04).
7 Democrats supported it:
John Barrow (GA-12)
Jim Costa (CA-16)
Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ-01)
Jim Matheson (NC-07)
Bill Owens (NY-21)
Collin Peterson (MN-07)
John Yarmuth (KY-03)
Grace Napolitano (CA-38) offered an amendment removing a subsidy to agricultural loans to require that interest is repaid on the capital costs of a project.
It failed 179 to 239.
14 Democrats opposed it:
Ron Barber (AZ-02)
John Barrow (GA-12)
Sanford Bishop (GA-02)
Tony Cardenas (CA-29)
Jim Costa (CA-16)
Keith Ellison (MN-05)
Pete Gallego (TX-23)
Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ-01)
Jim Matheson (UT-04)
Mike McIntyre (NC-07)
Collin Peterson (MN-07)
Kurt Schrader (OR-05)
Kyrsten Sinema (AZ-09)
Tim Walz (MN-01)
Doris Matsui (CA-06) offered an amendment striking language that requires a reduction in the number of acre-feet of water available for habitat restoration.
It failed 193 to 228.
One Republican—Joe Barton (TX-26)—supported it.
5 Democrats opposed it:
Sanford Bishop (GA-02)
Jim Costa (CA-16)
Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ-01)
Jim Matheson (UT-04)
Collin Peterson (MN-07)
Ami Bera (CA-07) offered an amendment delaying implementation of the bill until a finding is made that it won't have an impact on the quantity and quality of drinking water in the California Delta region.
It failed 194 to 226.
One Republican—Chris Gibson (NY-19)—supported it.
Four Republicans opposed it:
John Barrow (GA-12)
Jim Costa (CA-16)
Jim Matheson (UT-04)
Collin Peterson (MN-07)
Lois Capps (CA-24) offered an amendment requiring the Government Accountability Office to study on the resiliency of Bureau of Reclamation projects and facilities to any predicted changes to water availability due to the bill.
It failed 194 to 227.
Two Republicans—Chris Gibson (NY-19) and Richard Hanna (NY-22)–supported it.
Five Democrats opposed it:
Jim Costa (CA-16)
Dan Maffei (NY-24)
Jim Matheson (UT-04)
Collin Peterson (MN-07)
Scott Peters (CA-52)
Jared Huffman (CA-02) offered an amendment blocking implementation of the bill until a determination is made that it won't interfere with California's Delta and water management reform.
It failed 189 to 231.
Five Democrats opposed it:
John Barrow (GA-12)
Sanford Bishop (GA-02)
Jim Costa (CA-16)
Jim Matheson (UT-04)
Collin Peterson (MN-07)
Jerry McNerney (CA-09) offered an amendment preventing implementation until a determination is made that no harm will be done to water quality or delivery in California's Delta region
It failed 193 to 230.
Five Democrats opposed it:
John Barrow (GA-12)
Jim Costa (CA-16)
Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ-01)
Jim Matheson (UT-04)
Collin Peterson (MN-07)
Scott Peters (CA-52) offered an amendment delaying implementation of the bill until the government finds it does not affect any community's water supply or water budget.
It failed 192 to 231.
One Republican—Chris Gibson (NY-19)—supported it.
Five Democrats opposed it:
John Barrow (GA-12)
Jim Costa (CA-16)
Dan Maffei (NY-24)
Jim Matheson (UT-04)
Collin Peterson (MN-07)