[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 1 (Thursday, January 3, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E8-E9]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




CORAL REEF CONSERVATION ACT REAUTHORIZATION AND ENHANCEMENT AMENDMENTS 
                                OF 2013

                       HON. MADELEINE Z. BORDALLO

                                of guam

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 3, 2013

  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, today I reintroduced a bill to amend and 
reauthorize the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000. Conservation of 
coral reef ecosystems is essential to protect public health, promote 
environmental sustainability, and ensure long-term economic progress 
for the jurisdictions we represent in Congress. The sovereign waters of 
the United States off the coast of Guam, and in the Pacific region as a 
whole, contain a majority of the shallow-water coral reefs in the 
United States, as well as some of the world's greatest coral reef 
biodiversity. These reefs, and reefs around the world, provide habitat 
and shelter for fisheries, provide food and recreation for our 
residents, and are the basis for marine tourism industries.
  Coral reefs also provide important mitigation from extreme weather 
events, including hurricanes and typhoons, by absorbing up to 90% of 
wave energy, mitigating some of the most costly aspects of severe 
storms. Coastal storms account for 71% of annual disaster losses. 
Healthy reef systems may protect an estimated $47,000 of property value 
for every meter of reef during severe weather events.
  Today, however, various pressures on the world's reefs threaten to 
destroy them and the numerous ecosystem services, valued at over $8 
billion, which they provide. These threats have led the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to propose that 54 species be 
listed as threatened and 12 species be listed as endangered under the 
Endangered Species Act of 1973. Unless the United States acts in 
conjunction with the global community to support focused, prolonged 
action on coral reef education, research, and management, the condition 
of our coral reefs will continue to degrade.

[[Page E9]]

  Since its enactment in 2000, the Coral Reef Conservation Act has 
stimulated a greater commitment to protect, conserve, and restore coral 
reef resources within jurisdictional waters of the United States. As a 
result, we now have a much better grasp of the condition of our coral 
reefs, and more focused management capability than at any time in our 
history. The Coral Reef Conservation Act Reauthorization and 
Enhancement Amendments of 2013 expands emergency response mechanisms, 
establishes a new community-based planning grants program, promotes 
international cooperation, and recognizes the important contributions 
of the U.S. Department of the Interior in coral reef management and 
conservation efforts. The bill does not authorize any new funding.
  This bill would also codify the United States Coral Reef Task Force 
established in 1998 by President Clinton through Executive Order 13089. 
The work of the Task Force and its mission to coordinate the efforts of 
the United States in promoting conservation and the sustainable use of 
coral reefs internationally is vital to our interests. Since 1998, the 
Task Force has acted to facilitate and support better management and 
conservation of coral reef resources at the local level. Many 
beneficial efforts, such as the development and implementation of local 
action strategies to address threats to our reefs, are underway thanks 
to the work of the Task Force and its member agencies.
  I would like to thank Reps. Pierluisi, Farr, Christensen, and 
Wasserman Schultz for joining me as original cosponsors and I look 
forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to 
advance this legislation to enhance our capacity for the conservation 
and restoration of healthy and diverse coral reef ecosystems.

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