Political Quotes

“I support the open rule guiding the consideration of the reauthorization of the National Sea Grant college program, and I support the bill H.R. 437. I want to commend my colleagues on the Committee on Science and the Committee on Resources for working out a compromise version of H.R. 437 that deserves the support of the entire House of representatives. Sea grant is a program that enables us to understand how our complex coastal and marine environments function, to develop novel ways to benefit from our marine resources without overexploiting them and to extend and communicate the benefits of scientific ocean research to our Nation's citizens. In my own State of Maryland, sea grant efforts have played an important role in understanding, protecting and restoring the Chesapeake Bay. I will give one example. Sea grant researchers in Maryland, Virginia, Delaware and North Carolina have detailed over the last decade through competitively funded research the life cycle of the blue crab. Their findings about the blue crab are already proving helpful in understanding threats to the last great Chesapeake Bay fishery, and they will enable us to develop sound strategies to protect this renowned resource.”