WASHINGTON -- San Joaquin Valley lawmakers are adapting their 2009 agendas to fit a new president, a reconfigured Congress and a chaotic economy. They face a complicated political environment filled with high hurdles, fresh openings and no guarantees of success.
All Valley lawmakers want to see an official Armenian genocide commemoration. That has a chance, given President-elect Barack Obama's stated support. And every lawmaker has at least one pet project they want to pursue.
"With the new president-elect, it's going to create an opportunity for federal support for high-speed rail," said Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno, when asked for his new year's agenda.
High-speed rail illustrates how the post-election shakeout hits on Capitol Hill and at home. It's a longstanding love for Costa, buttressed by California voters' recent approval of a $10 billion bond measure for what ultimately is seen as an 800-mile, $45 billion project.
Congress, with more Democrats coming on board and with Obama's blessing, now will craft an ambitious economic stimulus package. Costa wants high-speed rail funding included, and Obama sounds like he could be sympathetic.
"Why aren't we building high- speed rail in America ... putting people back to work, saving on energy?" Obama asked while campaigning in Michigan in September.
The economic stimulus bill appears likely to total roughly $500 billion, providing lawmakers myriad opportunities to shovel in other local projects as well. It will face conservative opposition -- Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Visalia, already is warning against a bill "that's just a grab bag" -- but it also enjoys considerable legislative momentum.
The economic stimulus bill will be only one major issue before the new 111th Congress.
Within a few weeks of Congress returning Jan. 3, for instance, lawmakers anticipate the Senate will approve a massive public lands bill that includes legislation to restore the San Joaquin River.
The bill will fund channel improvements and other work needed to get water flowing below Friant Dam next year, with salmon being reintroduced by 2013. Even opponents of the ambitious river restoration bill now concede it's likely to pass.
"That's going to be done shortly unless something happens between now and January," said Nunes, a vocal opponent.
Another big San Joaquin Valley water push is expected in January, when Costa said he and Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein will introduce a bill targeting irrigation drainage on the Valley's west side.
This complicated bill would turn the San Luis Reservoir over to the Westlands Water District and forgive the district's multimillion-dollar debt to U.S. taxpayers. In exchange, the water district would assume the expensive responsibility of cleaning up tainted irrigation runoff from fields. A bill as inevitably controversial as this could take a very long time to complete.
Valley conservatives hope once more to revise the Endangered Species Act on behalf of farmers and ranchers. This is a long shot, as similar efforts have collapsed since 1995.
"Nothing happens around here without obstacles," said Rep. George Radanovich, R-Mariposa.
In still other cases, national priorities will be felt locally.
Nunes, for instance, anticipates a lot of work on health care, as a member of the powerful House committee that oversees much of the industry. Nunes said health- care reform could be crucial to the Valley, which struggles with high poverty levels and relatively high rates of those without insurance.
Personnel shifts likely will shape agendas, though not necessarily in predictable ways.
Obama never campaigned in the Valley, and neither Costa nor Rep. Dennis Cardoza, D-Merced, endorsed him early when it might have invited the most reciprocal loyalty. On the other hand, the Valley can claim some hooks into Obama's chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel.
Emanuel formerly served as political director for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee under Merced County native Tony Coelho. That was 22 years ago, so the thread might be slight, but Valley representatives could still tug on it.
"He really learned politics in Tony's shop," Cardoza said. "He understands the Valley."
The new White House liaison to Congress, Phil Schiliro, has a more immediate California connection, through several decades of working for Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Los Angeles.
Cardoza was only half joking when he said he knows at least the White House will now return phone calls from California Democrats.
Agendas, moreover, will be shaped by what others do. In a Capitol Hill coup, Waxman gained chairmanship of the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee.
Waxman is an aggressive supporter of industry regulation, including anything that affects air pollution. The Valley has some of the nation's worst air pollution.
Waxman's chairmanship "signifies a turn to the left on issues of global warming and energy," Radanovich said.
A few rules are needed to help foster a feeling of community. We encourage a free and open exchange of ideas in a climate of mutual respect, but any post that violates someone's right to use and enjoy fresnobee.com is prohibited. Before you post, please read the terms of use and obey these simple guidelines.
Here are the ground rules:
Contents of this site are © Copyright The Fresno Bee. All rights reserved.
E-Mail
Print
@Nyx.CommentBody@