Wednesday, June 7, 2006                                                                           Printable Version (PDF)

 

Washington, DC - Congresswoman Doris O. Matsui (CA-5) issued the following statement applauding the inclusion of $30.4 million to strengthen and improve Sacramento’s levees in the Emergency Supplemental Appropriation Bill.  This much-needed funding will increase Sacramento’s total flood protection funding for the year to a record $69.405 million.  Because of these dollars critical work to address levee erosion should be completed this year, continuing the effort to increase the community’s level of flood protection. 

 “These funds will ensure critical improvements to our levees will be completed this year.  With billions sliced from this bill, that Sacramento’s flood protection funding remained is strong recognition of the unnecessary risk our region faces,” stated Congresswoman Matsui. 

“It also demonstrates the federal commitment to increasing Sacramento’s level of flood protection as quickly as possible.  Clearly, our efforts to highlight the region’s needs are working. I very-much appreciate the tireless work of the appropriators and their support of our community’s flood protection effort.”

 

Included in the $94.5 billion bill, despite $14 billion in cuts to reconcile the House and Senate versions of the bill, is $30.4 million in funding for key Sacramento flood control projects:

·        Sacramento River Bank Protection:    $23.3 million

·        South Sacramento County Streams:   $7.1 million

 

The Emergency Supplemental Conference Report will now need to be voted on by the House of Representatives and the Senate, as well as signed by the President.  While a veto-threat was issued earlier the reduction in the overall cost of the bill makes it unlikely the President will carry out the threat.  The Conference Committee reconciled the Senate’s $108.9 billion and the House’s $91.9 billion to craft a bill that would meet the President’s $94.5 billion limit.