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Show -87- Mr. Pittman. I do not think they have, but there may be a difference of opinion as to that. Mr. Johnson. I am under the impression that the States could get together at any time and reach an agreement and then come to Congress for the ratification of such agreement. Mr. Pittman. Yes; I think that is true. Mr. Johnson. If they could meet at any time and reach an agreement, they could reach an agreement on the terms of this amendment or otherwise and come back to Congress for ratification. Mr. Pittman. Undoubtedly. Mr. Johnson. Then the States simply being authorized to enter into the agreement, the amendment means merely that they are authorized to do that which they are already competent to do without such authorization. Mr. Pittman. The authorization would not be complete. My view is that if the Congress of the United States shall authorize the States of Nevada, California, and Arizona to divide 7,500,000 acre-feet of water in a certain way, and they agree to do that, such agreement would end it; they would not have to come back here. On the other hand, my thought is this, I will say to the Senator from California: Assume that we pass this bill this week, which as I hope we may; we shall adjourn on March 4; we shall probably not again meet until sometime in the fall, if we have a special session, but in the meantime the legislatures of these States will be in session. If we could confer on those States the authority to enter into this particular agreement, and the legislatures of those States, being in session, should approve it, and the Legislature of Arizona should then ratify the 7-State |
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Original book: [State of Arizona, complainant v. State of California, Palo Verde Irrigation District, Coachella Valley County Water District, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, City of Los Angeles, California, City of San Diego, California, and County of San Diego, California, defendants, United States of America, State of Nevada, State of New Mexico, State of Utah, interveners] : California exhibits. |