Mike Thompson: “This bill contains emergency disaster funding that is needed because of a commercial fishing disaster that happened last…”

“This bill contains emergency disaster funding that is needed because of a commercial fishing disaster that happened last year and was not dealt with last year. It has devastated fishing families and related businesses up and down the California and the Oregon coast. Moreover, this disaster was the result of this administration's failed and illegal water policy. This water policy caused a virtual shutdown of the entire commercial fishing, salmon fishing season last year. And their water policy has been unanimously ruled arbitrary and capricious and a violation of the Endangered Species Act by not one, not two, but three different courts. Sadly, fishing families throughout my district and other parts of the coast have lost their boats. They have lost their homes. And they can't wait, as the ranking member suggested, for the 2008 funding cycle. The ones who still have their boats can't afford to buy fuel to go fishing if they do get a fishing season this year. Marinas throughout my district have gone out of business. The few that are left open have had to lay off up to 80 percent of their employees. Fishing lodges throughout the coastal area are near bankruptcy. And all of this because of a failed water policy and the previous majority's failure to deal with this disaster declaration last year, a disaster declaration that was made by the Secretary of Commerce. These folks can't wait.”