Political Quotes

“I thank the gentleman from New Jersey and also the gentleman from Virginia for addressing this important matter. I agree with my colleagues that habitat restoration programs are vital to coastal areas, including Massachusetts, and elsewhere throughout this country. In March, I led a letter with over 70 cosigners to the Appropriations Committee supporting funding for this important program. NOAA's coastal programs serve as the front lines of defense in the fight to keep our communities resilient, create domestic jobs, and promote local economies while benefiting fish and wildlife and improving coastal ecosystems. Further, each public-private partnership directly creates jobs and benefits local and regional coastal economies that generate more than half the Nation's GDP. These projects are improving lands that will benefit and be able to filter pollutants from storm water runoff, control flooding after storm events, provide vital nursery habitat for fish and shellfish, and create nesting and foraging habitat for coastal birds. The resulting clean water and more abundant habitats will benefit local economies by improving land values, supporting commercial fishing, improving tourism, and creating new business, and they also do beneficial work to enhance recreational opportunities.…”