Political Quotes

“I am joined on the floor by my colleague Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, who has recently visited coastal Louisiana and will share his observations following my remarks. He will speak objectively about that which we in Louisiana see not only objectively but emotionally. We see our coastline melting away, and with the loss of that coastline, increasing vulnerability to hurricanes coming off the gulf, as well as a loss of villages, beautiful oak trees as salinity kills their roots, whole communities, and ways of life. I shall elaborate because Louisiana's coastal erosion impacts local businesses, communities, and I would say even our entire Nation. Some of the Nation's most important trade, energy, and commercial fishing assets are associated with South Louisiana. Now, every Senator gets up and is proud of his or her State, and they will make statements such as that, but these statements are objectively true. By tonnage, 5 of the 25 largest ports in the country are located in South Louisiana and along the Mississippi River. Twenty percent of the Nation's waterborne commerce moves through Louisiana. Approximately, 11,000 vessels use the lower Mississippi annually. If you think of a map of our country, from Wyoming to Pennsylvania, that is the territory of our country drained by the Mississippi and its tributaries. If you are shipping goods from Ohio to South America, most likely you are sending it down the Mississippi.…”