[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 67 (Friday, April 25, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E745]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E745]]
                 COAST GUARD AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2008

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                             HON. RON KIND

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 24, 2008

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2830) to 
     authorize appropriations for the Coast Guard for fiscal year 
     2008, and for other purposes:

  Mr. KIND. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the Coast Guard 
Authorization Act. This bill takes necessary steps to modernize our 
maritime fleet, enhance security at sea and at port, and reduce 
pollution. These measures are overdue, and I applaud Chairmen Oberstar, 
Thompson, and Conyers and their respective ranking members for bringing 
this bill forward today.
  I am most proud, however, that this bill finally begins to address 
the ever-growing scourge of invasive species spreading throughout our 
coastal and inland waters. These foreign organisms are wreaking havoc 
on native ecosystems and local economies. The Great Lakes are already 
home to a whopping 185 invasive species. Zebra mussels have clogged 
water intakes at power plants and municipal water treatment facilities, 
adding about $2 billion to the cost of producing electricity and clean 
drinking water, while also altering the ecosystem and reducing the 
number of prized fish species. The sea lamprey would have driven Great 
Lake trout species to extinction if the Federal Government did not 
spend $15 million per year to combat them. And the lakes face a 
menacing new threat as Asian carp continue their march up the Illinois 
River.
  The ballast water treatment requirements in this bill seek to remedy 
the lackadaisical attitude that led to the introduction of each of 
these species into American waters. Rather than continuing to say, 
``Come what may,'' this bill states that it is now national policy that 
the introduction of non-indigenous aquatic nuisance species should be 
prohibited and establishes a goal of ensuring that by 2015 no ballast 
water discharged by ships in U.S. waters contains viable living 
organisms. Furthermore, the bill sets up ballast water treatment 
requirements for ships entering U.S. waters and methods for 
enforcement. With these protections in place, State and Federal 
Governments will have tools in hand to begin to reverse the tide of 
invasives and restore our own native ecosystems.
  I have seen the waters of the Mississippi River in my own district be 
overrun by invasives such as the zebra mussel, which is why I have 
taken a keen interest in legislation to address the problem. I was 
proud to join with my colleague Rahm Emanuel, who has been an outspoken 
proponent for action on this issue, in drafting amendments to H.R. 2380 
to strengthen the bill's ballast water treatment section. One of these 
amendments would have clarified that vessels that do not carry ballast 
water on board--No Ballast On Board, or NOBOB--are also subject to the 
treatment provisions. The other would have required that ships make 
their logs of ballast treatment activities available to the Secretary 
of Transportation each month. By adding this requirement, the public 
will be assured access to this information and will be able to track 
the actions of all ships entering our waters.
  I thank Chairman Oberstar for his support of these amendments and for 
including them in the manager's amendment approved today. These simple 
additions to the bill are important improvements that will strengthen 
our defenses against invasives and improve transparency and 
accountability. We greatly appreciate the chairman's willingness to 
make these changes and his great leadership when it comes to the health 
and safety of the Great Lakes.
  On the heels of Earth Day, the time to pass the ballast water 
provisions in this bill could not be better. I urge my colleagues to 
support the bill.

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