On the recordJuly 26, 2017
Mr. Chair, I rise in support of the gentlewoman's amendment to support the growth of vibrant coastal economies and creation of fisheries and agriculture jobs. The National Ocean Policy is helping agencies and States collaborate to reduce illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, and one can just take a look that the ocean policy supports almost 2 million fisheries-related jobs in our country and $5.3 billion in commercial fish landings, as well as enhanced tourism, and the National Ocean Policy doesn't cost us anything. I just want to remind people that our country currently imports 91 percent of consumed seafood, with half coming from foreign agriculture. So this policy is extraordinarily important. Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Cicilline) for the purpose of entering into a colloquy.
