Political Quotes

“I thank my good friend and I thank, too, Mr. Quigley, who just spoke, as the two of us are the bipartisan sponsors of the Great Lakes Fisheries Authorization Act, and we are glad that it is part of this package. And I rise, obviously, in support, Madam Chair, today for this package of bills to help protect our coast and the Great Lakes. You know, in the southwest there is a saying, ``Don't mess with Texas.'' Well, as one that grew up on the shores of Lake Michigan, there is a saying that we have, too, ``Don't mess with the Great Lakes.'' This issue is deeply personal. It is one of great importance to the Nation. Our Great Lakes hold 18 percent of the world's fresh water supply, covers some 9,000 miles of shoreline, and this helps generate over $7 billion a year in sport and commercial fishing industry alone. This bill would authorize the U.S. Geological Survey Great Lakes Science Center to conduct science and research activities to support fishery management decisions in the Great Lakes. Funds are going to be used to restore the loss of basic fishery science capabilities, accelerate the development of invasive species controls and the restoration of native species, and implement advanced autonomous and remote sensing technologies. Current authorizations for the U.S. Geological Survey Great Lakes Science Center is confusing and funding is often piecemeal. In the past, the funds have been diverted to other unrelated purposes and disrupted ongoing research.…”