Kay Bailey Hutchison: “I rise in support of S. 476, legislation reauthorizing and amending the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation…”

“I rise in support of S. 476, legislation reauthorizing and amending the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act. This legislation contains provisions of significant importance to my home State of Texas and the Nation--establishment of the Brownsville Wetlands Center. Under this bill, the Port of Brownsville, TX, would make available 7,000 acres of wetlands property for the establishment of a center to conduct wetlands research, educate minorities, and analyze current industrial policy as it affects protection of wetlands. This center will be a unique regional and national asset that will allow researchers and policymakers to examine an existing heavy industrial enterprise and how it coexists with wetland ecosystems in the western Gulf of Mexico area. With direct input from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and local universities, the Wetlands Policy Center could soon evolve into a true center of excellence in this important area of wetlands policy research. I am particularly enthusiastic about the prospects for the center to become a prototype for the development of graduate degree and career opportunities for minorities and women in the area of environmental sciences.”