Political Quotes

“I thank the gentlewoman for her leadership and recognition on this important issue. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this legislation. I am so proud of Representative Jackie Speier, with whom I have the privilege of corepresenting San Francisco. Jackie Speier has been our champion on San Francisco Bay, and this San Francisco Bay Restoration Act is a vital step to restoring our cherished bay. It is an honor to be joined in this legislation with other bay area colleagues, Jared Huffman, John Garamendi, Mike Thompson, Jerry McNerney, Mark DeSaulnier, Barbara Lee, Ro Khanna, Anna Eshoo, and Zoe Lofgren. I also thank Senators Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla, who have introduced a Senate companion bill. Madam Speaker, Members may not know, but the San Francisco Bay is an icon of California and a national treasure: inspiring us with its beauty and its might, enriching our lives with world-class recreation, tourism, and jobs. The bay area delta, of which it is a part, is also the economic lifeblood of our coast, contributing over $370 billion to our economy each year and supporting more than four million jobs. As part of the bay-delta estuary, it is a vital part of public health, providing drinking water for millions of Californians, a key force in combating the climate crisis. But, for centuries, this magnificent estuary has been overexploited and underprotected.…”