Madeleine Bordallo: “The overall purpose of this legislation is to authorize the expansion of the existing Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge…”

“The overall purpose of this legislation is to authorize the expansion of the existing Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge complex in Ohio and to extend the southern boundary of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge in Michigan. The overarching goal is to protect and, where possible, to enhance the remaining wetlands and other aquatic habitats within the western basin of Lake Erie. This region provides critical migratory waterfowl habitat and supports the most significant recreational fishery in the entire Great Lakes. I commend the bill's sponsors, the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur) and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell), for their ingenuity in developing a long-term conservation strategy to protect this regional treasure.”