Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.J. Res. 78 with a vote of 216-195. House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) issued the following statement in response:

"In the wake of litigation from radical environmentalists, the Biden administration ignored scientific data and inaccurately listed the longfin smelt as endangered. This decision only created another layer of red tape, cutting off Californians from water resources that are essential to agriculture and daily life. Thanks to Congressman LaMalfa and the entire California Republican delegation's work, today the House voted to overturn this flawed rule and restore common sense to California while ensuring farmers and communities can access their vital resources." 

Background

H.J. Res. 78, introduced by U.S. Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.), overturns a Biden-era regulation listing the longfin smelt as endangered. The Biden administration relied on incomplete science and willfully ignored that longfin smelt are found across the San Francisco Bay, where their populations show no signs of decline. By choosing to single out the San Francisco Bay-Delta as a distinct population, they chose to capitulate to radical environmentalists and target the most important area for water delivery to the rest of California. This resolution is based on sound science and will remove unnecessary regulatory burdens preventing farmers from accessing their water resources.