John Sarbanes: “Eleanor Holmes Norton has put forward is that solution: statehood for the District of Columbia.”

Congress gave EPA this role more than 50 years ago under the Clean Air Act and reaffirmed that responsibility in 2005 under the Energy Policy Act.

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.