Political Quotes

“Mr. President, this August the Senate unanimously passed a resolution designating September 25, 2015, as National Lobster Day. I was proud to cosponsor that resolution with my fellow Mainer, Senator Angus King, and to be joined by our New England colleagues, Senators Shaheen and Ayotte of New Hampshire, Reed and Whitehouse of Rhode Island, and Murphy and Blumenthal of Connecticut. That day has arrived and will be celebrated with a special event at the Maine Maritime Museum in the City of Bath. For more than a half- century, this outstanding museum has honored our State's seafaring heritage and the important role Maine plays today in global maritime activities. Lobster fishing is central to that heritage. Since colonial times, it has served as an economic engine and a family tradition in New England, helping to support the livelihoods of thousands of families. Throughout the region, more than 120 million pounds of lobster are caught each year, making it one of our most valuable commodities. More than 70 percent of this harvest is hauled in by Maine's 6,000 commercial license holders. Lobster is the backbone of Maine's prolific fishing industry, which produces more than $1 billion in economic activity and supports 26,000 year-round jobs in such affiliated enterprises as boatbuilding and maintenance, trap-making, bait, fuel and other supplies.…”