Congresswoman Lee-Led Bipartisan Drought Preparedness Act Unanimously Passes House
WASHINGTON – Last night, the bipartisan Drought Preparedness Act unanimously passed in the U.S. House of Representatives, which Congresswoman Lee (NV-03) championed alongside fellow Colorado River Caucus leaders Congressman Joe Neguse (CO-02) and Congressman Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06).
The Drought Preparedness Act would extend the authorization of the Bureau of Reclamation’s Drought Response Program through 2028, a critical program for combating the ongoing effects of one of the worst megadroughts in the history of Nevada and the American West. Nevada is among the states that have benefited most significantly and directly from the Drought Response Program — which supports drought contingency planning as well as drought resiliency projects and emergency response actions — for the bulk of the 21st century.
“No one knows better than a Nevadan just how precious our water resources are,” said Colorado River Caucus Vice-Chair Susie Lee. “I’m proud to have worked across the aisle to break through the gridlock and deliver results for southern Nevada by extending this critical drought preparedness program. This bipartisan legislation will go a long way in keeping more drinking water in Lake Mead and protecting southern Nevada’s water supply for years to come.”
You can read more about the bipartisan Drought Preparedness Act here.
As Vice-Chair of the bipartisan Colorado River Caucus, Congresswoman Susie Lee has been dedicated to finding solutions to the worst drought in the American West in 12 centuries. Last Congress, Lee’s Large-Scale Water Recycling Project Investment Act was enacted as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, alongside more than $400 million to improve Nevada’s water infrastructure. This Congress, Lee has introduced bipartisan legislation to close the biggest data gap in water management, led bipartisan calls for action in the Colorado River negotiations following a series of missed deadlines, and introduced legislation to raise the federal funding cap for the Las Vegas Wash Program. In 2023, Congresswoman Lee secured more than $122 million for local water projects, including the Las Vegas Wash and Lake Mead.
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