SOLOMON P. ORTIZ: “H.R. 1394, the NOAA Great Lakes Improvement Act, authorizes NOAA to establish a Great Lakes office in Washington. The…”

“H.R. 1394, the NOAA Great Lakes Improvement Act, authorizes NOAA to establish a Great Lakes office in Washington. The purpose of this office would be to promote and coordinate Federal research, monitoring, and assessment work in the Great Lakes region. The bill also directs NOAA to submit to Congress an annual report providing information relating to Great Lakes ecosystem research, monitoring, and assessment. I have worked closely on this matter with the author of the bill, Mr. Stupak, and I want to commend the gentleman for his spirit of cooperation in this regard, and I urge my colleagues to support the bill.”