the role of the Federal Government is critical to the success of the Bay restoration project.

Thank you for holding this hearing and thank you for your leadership on the Bay challenges.

I would encourage the Committee not to include language that would impose any additional regulations or restrictions on non-native oysters or commercial menhaden harvests.

I look forward to continuing to work on those issues.

The Bay is extraordinarily important to myself and to our constituents. It is an economic driver in Virginia.

We want to resist the temptation to replace fishery science with politics.

I really appreciate your leadership and your efforts on behalf of the Chesapeake Bay.

It is an honor and a privilege to be before you today, and I really appreciate your allowing me to discuss the issues before us about the Chesapeake Bay.

Thank you again, Chairwoman Johnson and Ranking Member Boozman, for the opportunity for me to testify today...

I recognize that we need both carrots and sticks to make complex environmental projects work...

There is a deep sense of frustration in the Chesapeake Bay watershed about the progress we have made to restore the Bay.

we have the opportunity, with this Executive Order and President Obama's leadership, to put in place a plan that will get us there by a date certain.

They changed approach and said we are going to target two-year milestones at a time.

We can do better.

there must be consequences if we fail to meet the expectations imbedded in them.

A year ago, the Council did something fairly unique, if not even impressive, and that is they admitted failure.

the EPA Chesapeake Bay Program be reauthorized, with a heightened focus on new authorities, increased implementation and accountability.

We believe that restoring our Nation's largest estuary is a shared responsibility, not just of State and local governments and the private sector, but of the Federal Government as well.