Political Quotes

“Oregonians at home and colleagues in the House often hear me talk about NOAA, but I want to use this time to explain how this agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, contributes to the economy and to our well-being. NOAA is not just a four-letter acronym or a Federal building in Maryland, it is the backbone of this Nation's environmental safety and resilience, which support better health and a thriving economy. When the Earth shakes the coastline of my district in the Pacific Northwest, as it inevitably will, it will put the lives and safety of thousands of coastal residents at risk from a devastating tsunami. The first lifesaving alert they will hear is because of NOAA. As a seismologist at the Alaska Earthquake Center said: NOAA creates the information needed by emergency managers, mariners, and everyday citizens: Where is the safe zone in my town? How long will I have? Where should boats go? How do I stay informed? When someone fishing in Astoria, Oregon, sets her catch limits for Dungeness crab or pink shrimp or checks the marine weather forecast to decide whether to put her crew out on the water or to keep them safe at shore, that is because of the workers at NOAA. At a recent Oregon fisheries roundtable, one fisherman made the stakes clear: NOAA's forecasts of sea state and weather save lives.”