On Tuesday, Senator Dianne Feinstein stated that active negotiations between the House and Senate have been underway on a Western drought package with the goal of having a final version ready for a mark-up before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee by the end of next week.
Senator Feinstein, who has been leading negotiations on the California aspects of the bill for the upper chamber, said that Western lawmakers are aiming to iron-out a compromise bill in time for it to be included in the end-of-year FY 2016 omnibus appropriations measure. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chairwoman Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) also indicated to reporters yesterday that a Committee markup is in the works before the Thanksgiving recess. With the drought now impacting many areas of the West, Murkowski broadened the legislative effort on a bill to address the entire region's needs.