(Editor’s Note: Legislation to bring water to California communities was introduced yesterday in Congress and will be voted on this week by the House and Senate. It is a byproduct of bipartisan negotiations between the House and Senate.)

After years of hard work with countless constituencies, Congress is ready to pass a California water deal.

This legislation will bring more water to our communities and supports critical storage projects. It also provides resources for water desalination, conservation, efficiency, and recycling projects. Getting to this point has not been easy, but the collective commitment to provide relief to our state and local communities has proved resilient. 

This is an important moment for California, and the timing of this deal is critical—we cannot afford to miss capturing water from storms during this wet season.

The agreement could not have been finalized without Senator Dianne Feinstein, and I am proud to have worked with her on this legislation. Our work on California water is by no means complete, but this deal signals that there is a path to getting more done to restore California’s greatness.