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WASHINGTON - Following the end of the most recent five-year water cycle, Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz (TX-15) sent a letter requesting that U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins continue to hold the Mexican government accountable for their obligated water deliveries under the 1944 Water Treaty. In the letter, De La Cruz also commends the Administration for their continued efforts to support South Texas agriculture.

Read the full letter here or below.

Dear Secretary Rollins,  

Our community is thankful for the focus you have on helping South Texas farmers. The level of care and consistency in your outreach has never been felt previous to this Administration. Sadly, the most critical issue for our region continues to be the lack of water deliveries from the 1944 Water Treaty. 

While we have seen a feeble attempt to deliver water by the Mexican government this year, it is only due to the pressure they have faced from our strong President and his Administration. The President’s threat of withholding water from the Colorado River motivated the Mexican government to do the bare minimum.  

Unfortunately, they still owe us close to 1 million acre-feet of water. Their previous position had been to declare droughts so as to give them an additional 5 years to fulfil their existing water debt. This gravely affects South Texans and ultimately the entire country. If our farmers do not get consistent water deliveries over the next 6 months, we are at risk of losing our citrus industry, after recently having lost our only sugar mill in Texas.  

If the Mexican government declares another drought, our farmers will not get any more water for five years, which will devastate South Texas producers and could create a national crisis. Given this, I humbly request the following:
Pressure the Mexican government to deliver another 350,000 acre-feet of water in the next 6 months.
Include the 1944 Water Treaty in USMCA negotiations.
Thank you for your immediate attention and hard work for South Texas farmers. I look forward to continuing to work alongside you and the President as we help save our farming industry.  

Sincerely,

Monica De La Cruz
Member of Congress
15th District of Texas

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