James Oberstar: “I am sorry the gentleman from Ohio doesn't have an estuary in his district, but his State is a Great Lakes State. The…”

“I am sorry the gentleman from Ohio doesn't have an estuary in his district, but his State is a Great Lakes State. The Great Lakes, as the Nation's fourth seacoast, designated by an act of Congress in 1970, are also designated in this bill as a place of estuaries, of freshwater estuaries. I am sorry that the gentleman doesn't understand that a great many people do understand what an estuary is. Three-fourths of our population live along areas that are designated as estuaries. Estuaries, the meeting place of fresh and salt water--where new forms of life are created, where new forms of fish and aquatic plants are created--are the richest places on Earth for the creation of maritime life. Estuaries are the common heritage of all Americans. There is a national interest in their protection and in their enhancement. I am quite surprised at this amendment because in committee consideration no issue was raised about the funding level. Make no mistake about it. The purpose of this amendment is to cut $15 million out of the authorization level.”