All Quotes

Protecting our Nation's maritime borders is a matter of great importance to Puerto Rico as well.

I have an amendment at the desk. The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment. The text of the amendment is as follows: Page 161, line 18, strike ``Alaska and Hawaii'' and insert ``Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico''. Page 164…

I will simply say I will have some time to consider your offer to work with you on my other amendment, which is not now on the floor. But until then I simply urge my colleagues to support this amendment. I yield back the balance of my…

I thank the gentleman from Florida, even though he rises in opposition. I'm pleased that as the chairman of the committee of jurisdiction, he's supporting this amendment. So under these circumstances, I just ask him if he has any further…

Isn't it justified to have a third center for the Caribbean, where four million American citizens reside?

I introduced legislation by the way, a bill recently, and it was supported by the Ranking Member Markey to direct NOAA to set up a center in the Caribbean located in Mia West, and minimize the expense.

I am also troubled by the proposed reductions in funding for the coastal zone management grants, and for the National Estuarine Research Reserves, one of which is Jobos Bay located in Puerto Rico.

I will note that I am concerned, however, about reductions to law enforcement that are contained in the Service's budget.

I am also interested in the Service's research to conserve manatees in both Florida and Puerto Rico.

I am encouraged by the work the Service is undertaking in the Caribbean region, particularly across the seven wildlife refuges within Puerto Rico.

I would also like to remind you that our U.S. citizens living in the offshore Territories of the United States face unique challenges posed by our geographic isolation, our historic under development, and our constitutional status.

I would respectfully urge this Subcommittee to work closely with the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development to appropriate necessary funds under the Insular Energy Program in FY 2012 and beyond.

I want to associate myself with the views admitted for the record by Governor de Jongh from the U.S. Virgin Islands regarding the unfunded Insular Energy Program.

I look forward to working with you and the other distinguished Members of the Subcommittee in developing effective measures to foster the social, economic, and institutional development of the U.S. Virgin Islands and other Insular Areas of…

I commend the Administration's efforts to increase its request for the State and Tribal Wildlife Grants Programs and for making other strategic choices to protect American jobs, and to preserve sustainable industries including hunting…

If these cuts were to remain unchanged, it would mean that the Office of Insular Affairs would not be able to award any more Technical Assistance grants for the remaining seven months of this fiscal year.

If the rule or the law is not working, you change it.

Let us not forget we are also a nation of immigrants. While we have every right to regulate immigration, enforce our immigration laws, it makes no sense to demonize immigrants in America.