With the growth that we have seen domestically in natural gas over the last decade, I am not sure this provision has the desired environmental effect that was intended.

I would agree with you that it is a very difficult goal.

The oceans are incredibly important for sustaining life on Earth, regulating the Earth's climate, supplying over half the oxygen we breathe.

The ocean is the Earth's final frontier.

The hearing will come to order. Without objection, the Chair is authorized to declare recess at any time.

I would like to welcome and thank all of our witnesses for being here today to discuss the state of our oceans and the importance of ocean exploration to the United States.

Later this month I'm going to be introducing the House companion to Senator Whitehouse's Bolstering Long Term Understanding and Exploration of the Great Lakes, Oceans, Bays, and Estuaries, it's easier to remember BLUE GLOBE Act.

I want to thank you all for coming this morning, for your testimony, and for your patience while we took a break to vote.

I would also like to recognize Ms. Bonamici because, of course, we left our hearing to vote on, and Congress has now passed, in the House, H.R. 1921, the Ocean Acidification Innovation Act of 2019.

We need to overcome the long-term and high-risk barriers in the development of ocean technology.

I'm working with my fellow co-chair of the House Oceans Caucus, Representative Don Young from Alaska, to highlight the importance of improving our ocean data and monitoring efforts.