[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 25 (Friday, February 13, 2015)]
[House]
[Page H1052]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      MARINE DISEASE EMERGENCY ACT

  (Mr. HECK of Washington asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. HECK of Washington. Mr. Speaker, part of the wonder of being a 
kid is discovering the world around us, you know, feeling the trunks of 
trees, picking up sticks, going to the beach, and picking up whatever 
you find, overturning rocks and looking for creatures. But around the 
Puget Sound and on the Atlantic coast and the Pacific, marine disease 
is ravaging sea stars, just like this, 20 species dying quickly, 
literally melting away.
  When disease like this breaks out, how are we going to stop it? The 
truth of the matter is we have absolutely no system in place to 
respond--none. So today I introduce the bicoastal, bipartisan Marine 
Disease Emergency Act.
  The Marine Disease Emergency Act speeds up the process to address 
these outbreaks, providing the right resources and the right time to 
the scientists and researchers so that they can respond quickly. 
Responding fast is crucial to preventing widespread exposure or, worst 
case scenario, extinction.
  I ask my colleagues to please join me in supporting the Marine 
Disease Emergency Act.

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