Reconciliation Package Letter – Drought Jul 29, 2022 Comment Letters To: The Honorable Charles Schumer and Joseph Manchin Subject: Reconciliation Package Letter – Drought Letter excerpt: Many regions in the Western United States are currently facing the worst drought in the last 1,200 years, a crisis that was the topic of a critically important committee hearing conducted by Chairman Manchin last month. The result of this drought is starkly apparent in the millions of acres of unplanted farmland, depleted reservoirs, and water restrictions for millions of Western homes and businesses. As Congress prepares to consider the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which aims to address climate change and inflation, we write to express our surprise and concern about the absence of meaningful provisions to address water security and emergency drought response. There is a clear and undebatable link between reduced water availability, escalating food prices and shortages, and the climate crises. Failing to address these critically important water challenges in any reconciliation package or other legislative vehicle will be a missed opportunity, and in a year where the impacts of drought are being so acutely felt, citizens across the West would view this as a glaring omission. Download Comment Letter
