Political Quotes

“today I rise to talk about an issue that is extremely important to my State of Michigan. In Michigan, we take great pride in the fact that we are never more than 6 miles from a body of water or more than 85 miles from one of our incredibly amazing Great Lakes. In fact, one out of five jobs in Michigan in some way is tied to the water. So this is really about who we are. It is in our DNA in Michigan when we talk about the Great Lakes. In terms of the country, it is important for all of us to care about the Great Lakes because 95 percent of the surface fresh water in the United States is in the Great Lakes. It is 20 percent of the world's fresh water, but 95 percent of our fresh water in the United States is in the Great Lakes. Through our Great Lakes Task Force, we are always working together. All the Senators and House Members around the Great Lakes have a special responsibility to step up and protect them, but we all should care because of the incredible natural resources they provide. Unfortunately, perhaps no other body of water in the United States has been as harmed by invasive species as the Great Lakes. It is ballast water that has brought the majority of these invasive species into the Great Lakes. They are first brought in from salt water into the Great Lakes, and then they are moved around within the Great Lakes after they get there. I am very concerned about legislation in front of us that would weaken our ability to protect the Great Lakes.…”