[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 17]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 23477]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY

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                          HON. DIANE E. WATSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 8, 2004

  Ms. WATSON. Mr Speaker, a very important initiative is being launched 
in my district by the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. 
Many of us think of a museum as merely a place to visit to see 
educational exhibits. That is not always the case. Many of our Nation's 
museums are leading the way in critical scientific research.
  The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County is one such museum. 
It is the steward of one of the world's largest collections of marine 
life, representing hundreds of years of ocean biodiversity. The Museum 
aims to organize its valuable, world class marine collection and merge 
that with new research opportunities to gather and distribute 
information critical to biodiversity studies and conservation efforts. 
With this, the Museum is establishing the West Coast Center for Marine 
Biodiversity as a hub for oceanic preservation and research.
  The West Coast Center for Marine Biodiversity will be an 
extraordinary public-private partnership that will benefit the world's 
oceans and the future sustainability of its valuable resources. Most 
importantly, the Center will take a significant step to fulfilling the 
goals of the Federal Government to save the world's oceans and the 
ecosystems they support.
  There has been significant news lately regarding the status of the 
world's oceans with the release of the Ocean's Commission Report 
earlier this year. I know the researchers and data at the West Coast 
Center for Biodiversity can be a tremendous asset to the efforts at the 
National Oceanic and Atmospherics Administration (NOAA) and other 
Federal departments and agencies doing similar work. I strongly 
encourage the development of a partnership with these Federal entities 
and the West Coast Center for Marine Biodiversity at the Natural 
History Museum of Los Angeles County.

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