Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 221, the Hydrographic Services Improvement Amendments Act. I was an original cosponsor and chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee when Representative Jim Saxton of New Jersey introduced the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 1998. My legislation will reauthorize the act through 2022 and will allow NOAA to conduct and contract for hydrographic surveys around the U.S., with specific focus on the Arctic. Alaska is what makes the United States an Arctic Nation. My State has more coastline than any other State in this country, and we don't know what is under the surface. We are seeing a significant increase in vessel traffic, exploration, and resource development in our Arctic waters. While hydrographic surveys are a critical part of the maritime safety, economic, and environmental efforts nationwide, they are especially important in the Arctic. Mr. Speaker, there are more than 550,000 square nautical miles in the U.S. Arctic exclusive economic zone, otherwise a 200-mile limit. It would take decades to survey even half of that space. NOAA has designated 38,000 miles as survey priority areas, and estimates a range up to 25 years to survey just those priority areas, if resources remain at their current level. Alaskan waters are incredibly under-surveyed. Before this year, the last time the entrances and mouth to the Yukon River were surveyed was 1899.…”