3 years ago, the Louisiana Air National Guard began to turn around. After coming in 38th in the Nation at the end of September 2012 with a 98.4 percent strength, in 2013, the Louisiana Air National Guard moved up to 20th, and, last year…

I just want to make note of an important provision that is included in the en bloc amendment package. As you know, the transportation bill includes a new program that addresses significant roadways. It addresses some of the more expensive…

I want to thank Chairman Shuster, Ranking Member DeFazio, Congressman Walden, Congresswoman Herrera Beutler, Congressman Blumenauer, and others who worked to get to a point where we all could come to common agreement on this. The chairman…

I think it was 72 percent of the federally-licensed charter boat captains in the Gulf actually support state management.

There was a study that was recently released that indicated that 82 percent of private boat owners in the Gulf of Mexico support the idea of state-based management.

H.R. 3094 will provide that accountability, preserve the current commercial fishery, ensure continued sustainability of the red snapper fishery as a whole and promote access for all anglers.

the majority of charter for-hire fleet opposes the status quo, and we support Representative Graves' legislation, H.R. 3094.

Why is it that the West Coast can manage their Dungeness crabs? Why is it that the East Coast states can manage the striped bass? Why is it that Alaska can manage their salmon, but it is only the Gulf of Mexico states that are unable to do…

There are fundamental problems with the current management regime, access, and the prevention of folks to access the fishery.

We should strive to have sound data to guide our management decisions and seek out solutions to ensure our fisheries are ecologically and economically sustainable.

The five Gulf of Mexico states agree upon very little. ... They came together and proposed a solution.

To discriminate against the state of Louisiana is ridiculous.

The current management regime for the recreational fishery is absolutely unacceptable.

The current federal management system is not working or at best working too slow.

I want it to be known that I repeatedly reached out to folks on the other side of this and asked for their input in the bill.

The Gulf of Mexico is a unique area; and coastal Louisiana in particular is known as being a working coast.

I think any efforts to come in and distort that would be problematic and not met very well among the Gulf Coast states.

I think that everyone wants to get this right, that we want to improve safety.

There is a huge incentive for companies to get this right, a financial incentive, and I think that is important to keep in mind.

I am concerned about the global environment.

Thank you for your leadership on this issue.

10 years ago, nearly 10 years ago, the scenes flashing across our television screens showed what appeared to be a Third World country--literally bodies floating in the streets, people that were homeless, homes washed away--one of the worst…

I want to make note, the highway program funding mechanism expires at the end of this month. It expires; that means it runs out of funding. Voting against this bill causes the program to shut down, causes a decline, a dropoff on investment…

Americans are tired of two standards: a standard whereby private citizens are treated one way and a standard whereby the Federal Government treats themselves in an entirely different way. Nothing is more apparent in this situation than…

I have an amendment at the desk. The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment. The Clerk read as follows: At the end of the bill, insert after the last section (preceding the short title), the following: Sec.__. None of the funds…