Thursday, August 02, 2007 Contact: Sean Oblack (202) 225-4176 Congress Authorizes Funding for Local Clean Drinking Water Project Schiff Request for $5 Million to Improve Reliability of Local Water Supply Approved By House Washington D.C. – Late last night, the House passed legislation authorizing $5 million for the Southern California Foothill Communities Water Supply Reliability Program (WSRP).  The authorization for the WSRP, which will provide clean drinking water for millions of local Southern California residents, was included in the Water Resources Development Act (H.R. 1495) conference report.  In February, Rep. Schiff wrote to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, James Oberstar (D-MN) and James Mica (R-FL), requesting that the committee provide authorization for funding of WSRP in H.R. 1495.  The bill will now be sent to the President to be signed into law.   "The Water Supply Reliability Program is vitally important to our region’s health, safety, and security,” Schiff said.  “This program will help ensure that millions of Southern Californians will always have access to clean, safe drinking water.  I urge the President to sign the measure promptly so we can move this program and other efforts to ensure safe, clean drinking water forward.” The WSRP, which includes San Gabriel Basin, Raymond Basin, Six Basins, and Chino Basin, will bring surplus rain water from Northern California into local groundwater basins, replenish diminished water supplies, utilize available groundwater storage and enhance the efficiency, security and reliability of regional drinking water delivery systems.  It will help provide a safe drinking water supply for over 2.5 million Southern California, San Gabriel Foothill and Inland Empire area residents. Rep. Schiff was appointed to serve on the House Appropriations Committee in the 110th Congress and is a member of its Commerce, Justice, and Science Subcommittee, the State Department and Foreign Operations Subcommittee, and Financial Services Subcommittee.  He also serves on the Select Intelligence Oversight Panel and the House Judiciary Committee and its Subcommittee on the Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property. He represents California’s 29th Congressional District, which includes the communities of Alhambra, Altadena, Burbank, East Pasadena, East San Gabriel, Glendale, Monterey Park, Pasadena, San Gabriel, South Pasadena and Temple City. -30-