PRESS RELEASE
“Trying to fool his constituents”: Congressman Crane Takes Credit for Something He Voted Against
FLAGSTAFF, AZ - Congressman Eli Crane recently took credit for supporting a House-passed bill aimed at improving America’s water infrastructure, but failed to mention it’s a near identical copy of a water infrastructure bill he voted against just two years ago.
The Water Resources Development Act of 2024 authorized the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to conduct studies and construct or modify water resource infrastructure projects across the country. The bill passed soundly, but Crane was one of just 13 House members to vote against it, providing no reason as to why.
Now, Congressman Crane is taking credit for passing the 2026 version of a near identical bill. He even showed off that “Congress has passed a (Water Resources Development Act) every two years since 2014.”
“Right in the heat of election season, Crane is trying to fool his constituents into thinking he’s actually done something to address the water crisis,” said Nez. “But the voters of AZ-02 know Congressman Crane has done almost nothing to protect our precious water. He’s not at the table fighting for our groundwater or the critically important Colorado River, even though much of it runs through his district. He should be at the table for discussions, but instead he’s cozying up to billionaires and taking credit for other peoples’ work.”
Just last month, Crane took to social media to stage a photo-op at Theodore Roosevelt Dam alongside U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, who ordered Arizona to cut its Colorado River water use by an unsustainable 30%.
It was yet another performative stunt from a Congressman who is making Arizona’s water crisis even worse.
Plus, only recently has Crane actually included a reference to caring for rural Arizona on his campaign website.
Residents are sounding the alarm that the federal government is “threatening to shut down the Southwest,” yet Crane continues to offer Arizonans little more than empty political theater.
Meanwhile, Crane has voted with Trump nearly 100% of the time. He has stated he doesn’t even like his job in Congress, as evident by his refusal to fight for Arizona’s water.
In Congress, Crane has refused to bring critical water projects to rural Arizona while sending taxpayer dollars to states like California. He also voted for massive tax breaks for data centers that drain local water supplies and drive up electricity costs.
SEE ALSO:
AZFamily: Arizona sees largest Colorado River cuts under new federal water deal (8/21/26)
Lake Powell Chronicle: Water Policy Realities: A Conversation with Former Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez (8/6/26)