Louise Slaughter: “I support this rule that allows Members to offer all germane amendments to the underlying bill, the Florida Keys Water…”

“I support this rule that allows Members to offer all germane amendments to the underlying bill, the Florida Keys Water Improvements Act, H.R. 673. The underlying bill is completely noncontroversial and goes a long way toward protecting the Florida Keys. As many in this body already know, the Florida Keys are a spectacular chain of 800 independent islands located southeast of Florida. The Keys are a unique and nationally significant marine environment and include North America's only living coral barrier reef ecosystem. But with rapid population growth, the Keys have begun to experience significant water quality problems. In 1990, Congress passed the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and Protection Act designating the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. That Act directed EPA and the State of Florida to develop a comprehensive water quality protection program for the Sanctuary. Since that time, the EPA and other Federal and State and local agencies have identified wastewater infrastructure improvements as the single most important investment to improve the water quality around the Florida Keys.”