Original Cosponsors Include Senators Cortez Masto and Rosen, as well as Representatives Lee, Amodei, Horsford, and Titus.
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), and Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.) introduced the bipartisan, bicameral Help Hoover Dam Act to allow the Bureau of Reclamation to access $45 million in unused, long-stranded funds for Hoover Dam operations, maintenance, and improvement projects. Representatives Susie Lee (D-Nev.-03), Mark Amodei (R-Nev.-02), Steven Hosford (D-Nev.-03), and Dina Titus (D-Nev.-01) cosponsored companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Approximately $45 million in the Colorado River Dam fund has been inaccessible for decades due to bureaucracy and federal red tape. This bipartisan legislation will invest these funds in the Hoover Dam — helping save taxpayer dollars, protect Western water and other natural resources, and strengthen a key source of Nevada’s energy. 40 million people depend on the Colorado River for water and 1.3 million depend on the Hoover Dam for electricity.
“The Hoover Dam provides electricity to thousands of households in Nevada, and this commonsense legislation will strengthen its sustainability and resilience for generations to come,” said Senator Catherine Cortez Masto.“Cutting through red tape and freeing up stranded funds will allow the Bureau of Reclamation to revitalize and preserve the Hoover Dam while keeping prices low for Nevada families. I’ll continue working to deliver resources to protect our water supply, upgrade our infrastructure, and make sure Nevada stays at the center of our clean energy future.”
“The Hoover Dam generates clean energy and helps support local Nevada communities, but bureaucracy in Washington is holding back millions of dollars in funding for critical repairs,” said Senator Rosen. “I’m proud to help introduce this legislation to cut through red tape and allow these funds – which have been inaccessible for decades – to be used to support the Hoover Dam and prevent unnecessary rate hikes for Nevadans.”
“I am proud to lead the bipartisan, bicameral Help Hoover Dam Act in the House to cut through federal red tape and free tens of millions of dollars in long-stranded funding for Hoover Dam improvement projects,” said Congresswoman Susie Lee. “We can’t let government bureaucracy stop us from making necessary investments in the Hoover Dam — Nevadans depend on it for clean power, precious water resources, and countless recreational opportunities. This commonsense, bipartisan legislation will help keep our energy prices from going up, protect our natural resources, and save taxpayers money.”
“I am proud of the work my colleagues and I have done to cut through the red tape and deliver for the people of Nevada, Arizona and our region overall. The Hoover Dam is an essential part of our energy and water infrastructure, and it’s important we do everything necessary to maintain and upgrade its functionality. This will result in more reliable clean water and clean energy production for our region while lowering prices for all households,” said Congressman Steven Horsford.
“Hoover Dam is known for providing water and hydroelectric power to millions of users along the Colorado River, as well as being an iconic attraction for tourists to Southern Nevada,” said Congresswoman Dina Titus. “I am proud to join my colleagues to introduce legislation which will free up needed funding for operation and maintenance costs and ensure the continued viability of this Western icon.”
The Help Hoover Dam Act is endorsed by the American Public Power Association, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the Colorado River Commission of Nevada, the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the Irrigation and Electrical Districts Association of Arizona, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, and others.
Senator Cortez Masto has been a leader in the Senate working to combat drought and protect water infrastructure. She fought to deliver $4 billion to combat drought in the states bordering the Colorado River in the Inflation Reduction Act and she helped pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which will continue to make a historic amount of funding available for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements across the country over the next five years. Cortez Masto also passed into law a $450 million competitive grant program for large-scale water recycling projects across the Western U.S.
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