The Colorado River Drought Contingency Plan ("DCP") is front and center this evening in both Houses of Congress. And, Arizona's Congressional delegation is again in the forefront of the action. At approximately 6pm (EDT), the House approved the bill to approve the DCP by an uncontested voice vote.
As reported previously by Arizona's Politics, Arizona is the only state where the entire Congressional delegation sponsored/co-sponsored the bills to approve the DCP last week. And, Arizona is again center stage this afternoon.
The House is considering the bill, and Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-CD3) is leading the unopposed "debate". Reps. Tom O'Halleran (D-CD1), David Schweikert (R-CD6) and Greg Stanton (D-CD9) have already spoken, and more may still do so.
On the Senate side, Sen. Martha McSally (R-AZ) is to speak about the bill this afternoon, and to ask for unanimous consent. However, the Senate is not conducting any votes today, and consideration will likely be scheduled for later this week.
Although Arizona's legislators dominated the day, it was Utah's Rob Bishop (R-UT) who had the best line. The Ranking Member of the Natural Resources Committee (to Chair Grijalva) praised the cooperation among the Colorado River Basin states, and then told his House colleagues that if this bill was not to pass, "Utah's going to keep all the water and the rest of you can suck under. (laughter)"
Here is a copy of the bill. (The House and Senate versions are identical.)
Arizona's Politics will post the relevant video when it becomes available later today.
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