On the recordOctober 5, 2011
Yesterday, in the Natural Resources Committee, we held an oversight hearing regarding the President's new National Ocean Policy, an Executive order to tell us how we can best use our oceans. Yesterday, it was amazing to hear those who believe in this policy applaud the use of the Federal Government in bringing stakeholders together. I will say this: This particular policy has been driven from the White House through Executive order under the auspices of ocean conservation, when its actual effects will be far reaching, economically harmful and hurtful to American jobs and businesses both at sea as well as ashore. Inside of this policy, there is something called marine spatial planning, how to best use our oceans, totally ignoring the common sense that the God who created us gave us at the moment He did create us. The background of this goes back quite some time. In 2009, a task force--I love those here. We have so many. We have councils and task forces. Do you know what? We need to form another committee. Well, I'm of the opinion that had Moses formed another committee, they would still be wandering around in the desert today. However, that's the mode of operation here. And in these frameworks and in these task forces, they come out with effective coastal and marine spatial planning. I believe this is one of the largest efforts of government regulatory overreach in my lifetime.…
