Newhouse Calls on USDA to Advocate for Farmers, Stop Efforts to Breach Dams

WASHINGTON, D.C. –– Today, Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) questioned U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack regarding USDA’s involvement with the White House Council on Environmental Quality’s efforts to breach the four Lower Snake River Dams during the House Appropriations Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies hearing on the Fiscal Year 2023 Budget Request for the Department of Agriculture.

The Columbia and Snake River systems play a critical role for farmers, ranchers, energy users, irrigators, and countless other sectors in Central Washington and across the nation. With the significant supply chain challenges the United States is already experiencing, including a shortage of containers, rail cars, and CDL truck drivers, further disruptions to either river system would be detrimental to the nation’s food supply and Pacific Northwest energy security.

Click here to hear Rep. Newhouse’s question series.

“The federal Columbia River system in the Pacific Northwest is crucial to the agriculture industry, not only in my state, but in the entire nation. Literally 50% of our domestic exported wheat goes through this system. That is just one example of how important this is to the agriculture industry,” said Rep. Newhouse. “Breaching these dams would significantly, negatively, and adversely impact the industry.”

Background:

In March, Rep. Newhouse and Pacific Northwest legislators sent a series of letters to ten agencies, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), requesting information on the agencies’ involvement with the White House Council on Environmental Quality efforts to breach the lower Snake River dams. The USDA had yet to respond to this letter at the time of today’s hearing.

In March, the White House released a blog post on Whitehouse.gov titled Columbia River Basin Fisheries: Working Together to Develop a Path Forward. The blog post outlined the administration’s preconceived biased efforts to look at breaching the four Lower Snake River Dams. Rep. Newhouse released a statement denouncing this post.

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