Matt Gaetz: “I offer this amendment on behalf of several of my colleagues from the Sunshine State who are still responding to the…”

“I offer this amendment on behalf of several of my colleagues from the Sunshine State who are still responding to the devastation from Hurricane Irma that made landfall earlier this week. The sponsor of this amendment, Congressman Deutch, and the cosponsors, Congressman Curbelo, Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen, Congressman Hastings, and Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz, all represent districts that received significant damage from Hurricane Irma. Due to the damage in their districts, these Members--with strong interest in this amendment--were unable to return to D.C. in time to debate this issue on the House floor, so I am here pinch-hitting for them. Recently there have been reports that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Fisheries headquarters, located on Virginia Key in south Florida, may move to another location. This amendment would prohibit that move. Such a move would be devastating to the longstanding research relationships that the NOAA facility on Virginia Key has with local universities, the local business community, and the marine industries of south Florida. The NOAA research facility on Virginia Key has maintained a partnership with the University of Miami and the south Florida community since 1943.…”