John Sarbanes: “I want Federal employees to know that I think it was Mrs. Lawrence that said all of us want the best.”

The health of the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed can only continue to improve through robust Federal, state, and local partnerships.

I hope that today's hearing is the first step in continuing that legacy of strong bipartisan support for the Chesapeake Bay in this Congress.

It's a national environmental treasure. It's a regional economic engine. It's been one of my top priorities since I've come to Congress.

This bill takes important steps to support the ongoing restoration of the Chesapeake Bay by reauthorizing NOAA's Chesapeake Bay Office and authorizing the agency's long-running Bay Watershed Education and Training, or B-WET Grant program.