Political Quotes

“My amendment would increase funding for the National Estuary Program and Coastal Waterways Program by $468,000. It does so by removing and then reapplying $468,000 within the $2.4 billion appropriation for the Environmental Programs and Management Account within the Environmental Protection Agency. This amendment is identical to an amendment I offered last year that passed this body by a voice vote, and I urge my colleagues to support this amendment again this year. Currently, the House Report accompanying this bill calls for a funding level of $26,723,000. This amendment will restore funding to the level that passed the House for the last 2 years. This amendment is intended to increase funding for the National Estuary Program that protects and restores water quality and ecological integrity of estuaries of national significance. Currently, 20 estuaries located along the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Pacific Coasts and Puerto Rico are designated as estuaries of national significance. Four of these estuaries are in my home State of Florida. This program is efficient at leveraging funds to increase estuaries' ability to restore and protect ecosystems. The National Estuary Program has obtained more than $10 for every $1 provided by EPA, generating nearly $4 billion for on-the-ground efforts since 2003. This amendment will result in a real return on investment for the American people. With more than half the U.S.…”