Calvert, McCarthy seek House committee action on drought disaster declaration

U.S. Reps. Ken Calvert (R-CA) and Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) led several of their California Republican colleagues in seeking congressional action addressing the ongoing, and potentially worsening drought in their home state and in other parts of the West.

Specifically, the lawmakers urged leadership on the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee to hold a hearing on actions that should be taken following the March 5 natural disaster declaration made by U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. 

Despite that declaration, the committee has yet to take any action addressing the drought, according to an April 27 letter Rep. Calvert, Rep. McCarthy, and their colleagues sent to committee leaders.

“California and other parts of the West are facing catastrophic drought that will impact water supplies for our communities and help exacerbate massive forest fires,” the lawmakers wrote. “The Democratic Majority’s upcoming hearings and lack of action on drought only perpetuate this, as well as turns a blind eye to the adverse impacts the drought is having on California’s ability to grow the food we all eat and how it is hurting some of the poorest communities in our state.”

Reps. McCarthy and Calvert, along with the other California House Republicans, said they are ready to work on solutions. “We may not agree on all of the prescriptions for combating drought, but we hope you agree with us that the time is now to focus on these matters,” they wrote. “We stand ready to work with you on what we believe can be bipartisan drought solutions.”

Among the members who also signed the letter was U.S. Rep. David Valadao (R-CA).