"It was touted as the bill “where everybody wins” — a common-sense approach to providing badly needed drought relief to California growers, and a measure that would place the needs of people above those of fish.

Yet House approval Thursday of the Western Water and American Food Security Act of 2015 may ultimately show just how hard it is for Washington lawmakers to help California as the state endures its fourth year of drought.

The bill passed 245 to 176, with almost all Republican supporters, and is unlikely to break the longstanding partisan stalemate over how to confront the drought. Even if the bill makes it through the Senate, where it would need to pick up several Democratic votes to pass, the White House has indicated President Obama would veto it."

Colin Diersing and Monte Morin report for the Los Angeles Times July 17, 2015. [2]