Video of his remarks HERE. Download remarks HERE.
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) held a press conference to call out President Donald Trump’s disastrous actions to significantly cut U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ funds for essential projects in California and other blue states in order to reward red states.
California alone will lose $125 million in federal grants for flood prevention projects.
At the press conference, Schiff emphasized four flood prevention projects in California which will not receive crucial federal funding, putting millions of vulnerable communities at risk. The four projects are: Pajaro River Flood Risk Management Project, Sacramento’s Natomas Basin, West Sacramento Levee Improvement Project, and the San Joaquin River Basin.
“Natural disasters don’t discriminate based on whether a state is red or blue, and the administration and Congress shouldn’t either when it comes to protecting communities from natural disaster. This puts us on a very dangerous path, a path where anything can be on the chopping block for a partisan reason. Today, it’s funding for these projects. Tomorrow it could be another form of funding meant to save lives. There will be a domino effect of threats aimed at blue states. When you’re elected to be President of the United States. You’re not a half president. You’re not president for only half of the country, not if you do the job right. These baseless attacks threaten millions of people from both parties whose lives are endangered by floods,” said Schiff at the press conference.
“When people need help, we help them. When people are fighting to rebuild, we help them rebuild. And when people need protection from flooding, we assure funding is in place so they’re protected. No matter who the president is. No matter who’s in charge of Congress. No matter who the governor is or who the senators are. No matter what state it is or what color of the state. This cannot and should not change. If this continues and we don’t stand up, this administration will continue to single out blue states for less protection for all of their citizens. To those of us who experience disaster in our states, and it’s all of us, we must show a sense of urgency,” concluded Schiff.
He also emphasized that natural disasters don’t discriminate based on whether a state is red or blue, and the administration should not politicize the Army Corps and its critical mission to provide safety and stability to communities and states.
View photos from the event below:
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