'Bitter Pill' Forces Enzi's Opposition Vote

February 14, 2002

The Senate may have passed a farm bill with several positive items he supported, but one "bitter pill" forced Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY) to vote against it. Among the items Enzi found appealing were directing USDA to explore providing live lambs to aid war-torn Afghanistan, authorizing long-term drought assistance for ranchers, and barring meat packer ownership of livestock under certain conditions.

But "mixed with the sweets" was the "bitter pill that has the potential to devastate the foundation of Wyoming agriculture," according to Enzi. "At the National Cattlemen's Beef Association Annual Meeting last week and the town meetings I hosted in southeast Wyoming people expressed their concern about a section … that would allow water right holders to transfer those rights to the federal government. I share their concern," said Enzi. "Since before Wyoming was founded we have carefully managed our water, the lifeblood of our state. If we lose control of our water then the significance of the other parts of the farm bill fade because water is the basic ingredient of Wyoming agriculture and indeed all of life in our state. Our destiny will be controlled by the federal government if it gains control of our water."

Enzi said many of his colleagues from western states countered the water rights section with an amendment that would strike the offending provision. The Senate voted 55-45 Tuesday to table the amendment and leave the federal water right provision in the bill. Enzi said he will encourage members of the conference committee to take out the federal water provision.