Political Quotes

“I rise this afternoon to discuss an important piece of bipartisan legislation that I am introducing today with my friend and fellow New Englander, Senator Snowe, to establish a national endowment for the study, conservation, and restoration of our Nation's oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes. Let me begin with a particular thank-you to our original cosponsors: the chairman of the Commerce Committee, Senator Rockefeller of West Virginia; the chairman of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Inouye of Hawaii; my colleague from the great State of Michigan, Senator Stabenow; and two colleagues from the Gulf of Mexico region, Senator Bill Nelson of Florida and Senator Landrieu from Louisiana. As any Rhode Islander can tell you, the ocean is central to our State's way of life. I tell colleagues that Rhode Island's coast is one of the most beautiful places on Earth. But we don't call Rhode Island the Ocean State just because it is beautiful. We are the Ocean State because from our earliest days we have relied on the ocean and our beloved Narragansett Bay for trade, for food, for recreation, and for jobs in the shipbuilding, shipping, fishing, and tourism industries. And we are not alone--across America, our oceans and coasts directly provide over $130 billion to our country's gross domestic product, and support 2.3 million America jobs. But one impact goes far beyond that.…”