Political Quotes

“This amendment simply authorizes a GAO study, a Government Accountability Office study, for the purposes of evaluating how we currently manage the red snapper species in the Gulf of Mexico and the South Atlantic. I want to be very clear, Mr. Chairman. This amendment does not affect any other region of the Nation. It doesn't affect any other species. It is a unique scenario that we are facing in the Gulf of Mexico and the South Atlantic pertaining to the red snapper. This is a species where the increased demand from both recreational and commercial fishers has resulted in contentious debate and challenging situations for resource managers across the Gulf Coast and the South Atlantic. This amendment is designed to have the GAO perform a study that would provide information to resource managers. We have been able to work through EFPs for the past 2 years, but in the future we are not guaranteed any type of solution. When I was a child, we could fish for red snapper year-round. We are no longer allowed to do that. We were limited by as many as 3 days-- proposed--by the Federal Government in recent years. This is designed to provide better information, better tools for how we manage these species moving forward in a sustainable manner. Mr. Chairman, the modifications that I made to this amendment were a result of discussions with Members near me right now.…”