Doris Matsui: “strange things happen around this place when we are getting ready for recess. Legislation just seems to come out of the…”

“strange things happen around this place when we are getting ready for recess. Legislation just seems to come out of the woodwork sometimes, like the resolution on the Suspension Calendar today. The bill before us today would spend $400,000 of taxpayer money to establish a House Task Force on Ocean Policy. Quite simply, it is duplicative and wasteful. There is already a standing House committee to deal with ocean policy that professional staff already have in place. The Rules Committee has not met to consider this resolution. In fact, no action, at least none that I am aware of, has been taken beyond the simple introduction of this measure. This resolution just appeared on the schedule at the last minute with no explanation, no details, and no reason for its urgency. So I am a bit puzzled about why this task force is needed at all. Generally, task forces are created when there is an issue that crosses the jurisdictional lines of several different committees, all of whom claim primary jurisdiction. In that circumstance, there may well be a need to coordinate efforts in an efficient manner. However, in this case, the primary issues fall within the jurisdiction of the Resources Committee. In fact, there is a Subcommittee on Fisheries and Oceans chaired by the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Gilchrest). That is where this issue belongs.…”