Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, as the co-chair of the bipartisan Oceans Caucus, I rise enthusiastically today in support of S. 216, the Senate companion to my bipartisan legislation, the Save Our Seas 2.0 Amendments Act. Marine debris does not stay in one place. A plastic bottle tossed inland can end up hundreds of miles away, wrapped around a propeller, tangled in fishing gear, or broken down into microplastics that end up in the food we eat. Across the country, communities see the damage every day. In the Pacific Northwest, crews use Marine Debris Program grants to remove abandoned and derelict vessels--rusting tankers that leak fuel, collapse into waterways, and scatter debris with every storm. These removals protect ports, safeguard workers, and prevent thousands of pounds of plastic and fiberglass from entering the ocean. In Alaska and the Gulf Coast, the program targets ghost fishing gear, including abandoned nets and traps. One abandoned net can trap fish, seabirds, and marine mammals for decades. Through this program, local partners recover that gear, return usable materials to fishers and anglers, and stop the cycle of loss. In the Great Lakes, communities use these funds to intercept plastic before it reaches open water, cleaning up shorelines, restoring habitats, and keeping microplastics out of the drinking water systems that serve millions of people.”