1. United States
2. Utah
3. Letter

I am writing to express my strong disappointment regarding your vote on January 8th to sustain the President’s veto of H.R. 131, the Finish the Arkansas Valley Conduit Act. As a constituent, it is concerning to see a piece of legislation that originally passed both chambers with unanimous, bipartisan support be discarded. This project has been a federal commitment since 1962 and is vital for providing clean, safe drinking water to dozens of rural communities in the West that currently deal with radium and selenium contamination. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated that this bill would cost the federal government less than $500,000, yet the decision to uphold the veto effectively halts progress on a $1.3 billion infrastructure project that is already under construction. While I value fiscal responsibility, failing to honor long-standing federal commitments to Western water infrastructure sets a dangerous precedent for future projects—including those in Utah. I would appreciate a response explaining why you chose to reverse your support for this non-controversial, bipartisan bill and how you plan to ensure that Western water security remains a priority for your office moving forward.