Jared Huffman: “I thank the gentlewoman from New York and thank my colleagues for understanding the importance of the Fish and Wildlife…”

“I thank the gentlewoman from New York and thank my colleagues for understanding the importance of the Fish and Wildlife Service's Coastal Program and for supporting this legislation to, for the first time, authorize it in statute. Coastal conservation is not just about protecting our environment. It is about supporting a thriving economy. However, we do face serious threats--climate change, pollution, unsustainable development, and other threats--to our coastal habitats, causing rapid deterioration of these critical resources. I want to be very clear: This is not a local issue. Over 53 percent of the United States population lives near coastal watersheds. These areas are home to 45 percent of federally listed threatened and endangered species. Over 60 million American jobs depend on the health of our coasts. These coastal habitats are complex, dynamic, and they don't always fit neatly within the boundaries that often guide our conservation work. The Service's Coastal Program recognizes this, and it allows for management flexibility by providing technical and financial assistance for coastal land acquisitions. This helps the Service strategically conserve coastal habitat beyond the confines of the National Wildlife Refuge System. {time} 1945 The Coastal Program has a great record of success.…”