Political Quotes

“Madam Chair, I rise to support H.R. 729. I thank Congressman Case for yielding to me and call attention to the Great Lakes Fishery Research Authorization Act, which authorizes the U.S. Geological Service Science Center for the Great Lakes and commend Congressman Quigley for his hard work on the legislation. This service protects the Great Lakes Fishery from voracious, destructive, invasive species that threaten the integrity of our entire Great Lakes system. Today, in our district, the Geological Service is leading the charge to identify and contain grass carp, a pernicious invasive whose population threatens to explode but for the work of the Federal science agencies. Every day, our country sits in neutral with inadequate direction to the Geological Service we allow invasive species to undermine the multibillion-dollar Great Lakes Fishery. The Great Lakes have come a long way since the Cuyahoga River caught fire 60 years ago and since has healed, but we have a long way to go. With this authorization, the Geological Service will be able to conduct deepwater ecosystem science to help us better understand fish movement and behavior; and, for my district, which contains the most productive, shallowest, and warmest $7 billion fishery of the Great Lakes, the western basin of Lake Erie, the service's work protects the region's priceless ecological and economic future. Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 729.”