[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 34 (Wednesday, March 23, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: March 23, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
           NATIONAL COASTAL RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 1993

                                 ______


                               speech of

                          HON. ELIZABETH FURSE

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 21, 1994

  Ms. FURSE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to express my sincere 
appreciation to Chairman Studds and Chairman Ortiz for their assistance 
in guiding this important piece of legislation through committee and 
bringing it to the House floor.
  The subject of H.R. 2063 is the National Coastal Resources Research 
and Development Institute, more commonly referred to as NCRI. Created 
by Congress in 1984, NCRI's mission is to help strengthen and diversify 
coastal economies through partnerships between local businesses and the 
scientific community. My bill will expand and strengthen the work of 
this important Institute.
  Since its creation, NCRI has invested more than $6 million in 81 
projects throughout 25 coastal States. Based on a competitive review 
process, NCRI funds projects which apply and evaluate innovative 
technologies and economic strategies in a aquaculture, business and 
community development, coastal tourism and recreation, commercial 
fisheries, and marine and seafood technology and product development. 
Examples of NCRI projects along Oregon's coast include creating a 
spring chinook fishery in Young's Bay, using new approaches for 
waterfront revitalization in Warrenton, creating new products from 
Pacific whiting, and advancing a new, cost effective welding technology 
for ship repair. NCRI has been similarly useful elsewhere in the 
coastal United States, through such projects as the evaluation of 
harvesting techniques needed to support a sustainable urchin fishery in 
the Gulf of Maine, the creation of a self-sustaining tourism marketing 
program for rural Louisiana communities, and the development of a 
management framework for the Chesapeake Bay aquaculture industry.
  Extrapolating from these past successes, every dollar invested by 
NCRI can be expected to yield an estimated $400 increase in coastal 
revenues within a 10 to 15 year period. In this time of tight budgets, 
that's the kind of cost effective assistance businesses and communities 
want and need.
  I introduced H.R. 2063, the National Coastal Resources Development 
Act of 1993, last May to strengthen and broaden the services that NCRI 
provides. Specifically, my bill will:
  Clarify the Institute's mission;
  Broaden its Board of Directors to include a more national membership;
  Expand its Advisory Council to include coastal community leaders and 
businesses;
  Direct NCRI to report periodically to Congress and the Secretary of 
Commerce on its activities; and
  Make several technical corrections.
  By making these changes, H.R. 2063 will allow NCRI to more 
effectively accomplish its important mission throughout all of coastal 
America.
  NCRI's program is unique. While other Federal programs, such as the 
National Sea Grant Program's Marine Advisory Service, fund applied 
marine research projects, NCRI is the only program that takes new 
laboratory-developed technologies and evaluates their commercial 
feasibility in a real world setting through partnerships with private 
industry and scientists. NCRI is practical and result-oriented where 
other programs are only theoretical.
  Today's consideration of H.R. 2063 is very timely--last week we 
received the devastating news that there will not be any commercial 
salmon fishery season this year along the northern Oregon and 
Washington coastline due to our rapidly dwindling salmon populations. 
This is particularly bad news when our coastal communities are already 
struggling to cope with ongoing cutbacks in the fishing and timber 
industries. I know the Northwest experience is not unique and that 
other coastal regions are facing similar declines in their fisheries. 
More than ever, our coastal communities need the assistance that 
programs like NCRI's can provide--to help them diversify their 
economies, adopt innovative technologies and develop new products.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting NCRI's work and our 
Nation's coastal businesses and residents by voting yes for H.R. 2063.

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