John Cornyn and Dianne Costa on Texas drought and agriculture; what about Obama lizard agenda?

John Cornyn, U.S. Senator (Texas) and Dianne Costa, candidate for U.S. Representative, CD-25 (Texas) each made visits to drought stricken Texas agricultural areas last week and commented on the $5.2B in losses faced by Texas farmers and ranchers. Costa remarked that "if the current [Obama] administration would take more interest in our farmers and ranchers than they did in the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard they would ensure this drought does not cause their extinction". In Lampasas, Cornyn pledged to "work hand in glove with them to ensure all emergency federal resources are readily available" and that the agriculture industry should not be left to fight the drought alone.

Cornyn's remarks were made in a meeting with farmers and ranchers held on August 18 at the Lampasas Cattle Auction, Inc. in Lampasas, Texas. Dianne Costa's comments were made while on visits to cities in agricultural counties throughout Texas Congressional District 25 last week. Costa's route included Johnson, Somervell, Erath, Hamilton, Lampasas, Burnet, Hays, Coryell, Bell, Bosque and Hill Counties.

Dianne Costa's remarks contrasted the Obama administration's concern for its "lizard agenda" with the importance of getting federal emergency assistance for farmers and ranchers. Earlier this year, Cornyn remarked that "if the Obama Administration has its way, this scaly political pawn will land on the Endangered Species List, without sufficient supporting research to back up the move".  Cornyn filed an amendment to the Economic Development Administration reauthorization bill that would stop the Sand Dune Lizard from being placed on the Endangered Species List and exempt it from the Endangered Species Act of 1973.