Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I want to be upfront. I have caught dozens of sharks in my life. I have released every single one of them intact. I have never gone shark fishing. It was unintentional catch. I have never eaten a shark, never had shark fin soup, nor have I any intention or desire to have any of this. But I do represent a State that does have a shark industry that sustainably harvests those. Mr. Speaker, I think that it is our obligation to actually go to scientists and to go to fisheries managers to get their opinion on what it is that we ought to be doing here. So, Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a letter from our Democratic Governor's administration where they talk about this bill. State of Louisiana, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Baton Rouge, LA, July 7, 2017. Re Shark Fin Trade Elimination Act of 2017, S. 793, H.R. 1456. Mr. Acy Cooper, President, Louisiana Shrimp Association, Grand Isle, Louisiana. Acy: As requested by you on June 7, 2017, the department has reviewed the text of Senate bill 793 and House Resolution 1456, also known as the ``Shark Fin Trade Elimination Act of 2017'' and the ``Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act of 2017'', respectively. The bills, in their current form, would place unnecessary economic burdens on Louisiana shark fishermen. As long as responsible management is in place, which is currently the case for sharks in the Gulf of Mexico, there is no need for this legislation.…”