Political Quotes

“I thank the chair for yielding, and I thank her for her leadership on these issues and so many others in her committee's domain. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1921, the bipartisan Ocean Acidification Innovation Act. Ocean acidification is a rising threat to coastal communities throughout the Pacific Northwest and threatens entire livelihoods and industries in my home State of Washington. There are generation of folks along the sound and in our coastal communities who have worked in fishing and in shellfish growing, but that is endangered if we don't maintain a healthy Pacific Ocean. Growing evidence suggests that acidic ocean conditions harm the ability of many marine organisms to generate shells. These marine organisms, which include oysters, mussels, and pteropods are a key part of the food chain for salmon, herring, and other fish. Scientists back home at the University of Washington recently discovered that ocean acidification also threatens the more than $220 million Dungeness crab fishery, raising serious concerns about future implications for species and ecosystems in the region. In Washington State alone, the commercial fishing and seafood processing industry, which includes shellfish aquaculture, contribute nearly 16,000 jobs and $9.4 billion in revenue to our economy.…”