[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 83 (Wednesday, June 16, 2004)]
[House]
[Page H4178]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              RESTORING AND PROTECTING LOUISIANA WETLANDS

  (Mr. TAUZIN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. TAUZIN. Mr. Speaker, my State, Louisiana, is suffering the worst 
national ecological disaster in the history of this country. Every year 
we lose up to 35 square miles of the most precious wetlands in America. 
The comprehensive energy bill we passed yesterday on this House floor 
and sent to the other body contains money, for the first time, billions 
of dollars, to address that national economic disaster.
  Louisiana contributes over $5 billion a year from offshore 
development. We get less than 1 percent back. That bill we sent to the 
other body contains billions to begin to restore and protect those 
vanishing wetlands, the biggest environmental program, bigger than the 
Chesapeake Bay, bigger than the Everglades.
  I cannot speak about the other body and how they vote, but let me 
issue a warning: No one in this Congress who votes against that 
comprehensive energy bill and that environmental package, no one in 
this Congress better show their face in south Louisiana if they vote 
against that comprehensive energy bill.

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