[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 7]
[House]
[Pages 10291-10296]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            WORLD OCEAN DAY

  Ms. CHU. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 1330) recognizing June 8, 2010, as World Ocean Day, 
as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1330

       Whereas in 2008, the United Nations General Assembly 
     decided that, as of 2009, June 8 would be designated by the 
     United Nations as ``World Ocean Day'';
       Whereas many countries have celebrated World Ocean Day 
     following the United Nations Conference on Environment and 
     Development, which was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 
     1992;

[[Page 10292]]

       Whereas World Ocean Day allows us the yearly opportunity to 
     pay tribute to the ocean for what it provides;
       Whereas we have an individual and collective duty, both 
     nationally and internationally, to protect, conserve, 
     maintain, and rebuild our ocean and its resources;
       Whereas our present ocean stewardship is necessary to 
     provide for current and future generations;
       Whereas the world depends on the health of our ocean for a 
     full range of ecological, economic, educational, scientific, 
     social, cultural, nutritional, and recreational benefits;
       Whereas the ocean is linked to adaptation to climate and 
     other environmental change, foreign policy, and national and 
     homeland security;
       Whereas we must ensure accountability for our actions, and 
     serve as a model country promoting balanced, productive, 
     efficient, sustainable, and informed ocean, coastal, and 
     Great Lakes use, management, and conservation within the 
     global community; and
       Whereas our ocean is in need of strong policies that 
     support ecosystem-based management, coastal and marine 
     spatial planning, informed science-based decision making and 
     improved understanding, government coordination, regional 
     ecosystem protection and restoration, enhanced water quality 
     and sustainable practices on land, changing conditions in the 
     Arctic as well as ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes 
     observations and infrastructure: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives recognizes 
     World Ocean Day.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Chu) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Turner) each will 
control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California.


                             General Leave

  Ms. CHU. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. CHU. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Committee on Oversight and Government 
Reform, I'm happy to rise in support of House Resolution 1330. This 
measure recognizes June 8, 2010, as World Ocean Day.
  World Ocean Day offers the opportunity to celebrate the wonders of 
the underwater world and look carefully at our interactions with the 
sea.
  The timing of this measure is critical. Today we find ourselves in 
the midst of the worst ocean oil disaster in our Nation's history. With 
our addiction to oil jeopardizing the vibrant and economically vital 
marine life of America's seas, we are being reminded daily of the 
often-forgotten value of these resources and our responsibility to 
protect them.
  The world's oceans cover more than 70 percent of our planet's 
surface, and the rich web of life that they support is the result of 
hundreds of millions of years of evolution. Great human civilizations, 
from the Egyptians to the Polynesians, relied on the sea for commerce 
and transport.
  And now, in the 21st century, our fate is as tied to the oceans as 
ever. We still rely on fish for a significant portion of our daily 
protein needs. And more than $500 billion of the world's economy is 
tied to ocean-based industries, such as coastal tourism and shipping.
  But all is not well in the sea. Increased pressures from overfishing, 
habitat destruction, pollution, and introduction of invasive alien 
species have combined in recent decades to threaten the diversity of 
life in our oceans.
  The first observance of World Ocean Day will allow us to highlight 
the many ways in which oceans contribute to society. It is also an 
opportunity to recognize the considerable challenges we face in 
maintaining the capacity to regulate global climate, supply essential 
ecosystem services, and provide sustainable livelihoods and safe 
recreation.
  As the oil continues to spill into the gulf, it is time to recognize 
a World Ocean Day and take the first critical steps to saving this 
vital resource.
  House Resolution 1330 was introduced by our colleague, the gentleman 
from California, Representative Sam Farr, on May 5, 2010. The measure 
was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, which 
ordered it reported favorably by unanimous consent on May 20, 2010. The 
measure has the support of over 50 Members of the House.
  I thank the gentleman from California for introducing this measure, 
and I'd also like to thank Chairman Towns and Ranking Member Issa for 
their support for the bill. I urge my colleagues to support this 
measure.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 1330, 
recognizing June 8, 2010, as World Ocean Day.
  It is particularly fitting that today this resolution gives us the 
opportunity to take some time and appreciate the beauty of our oceans 
and to think about ways that we can work to protect our oceans for 
generations to come.
  All Americans, as well as people from around the world, realize the 
importance of oceans. Millions of people enjoy playing, boating, 
surfing, fishing, or simply being along the beachscape and along our 
oceans. Oceans fascinate many children who learn about the interesting 
aspects of the oceans and the animals that live under the sea.
  Certainly, in light of the national crisis that is currently 
occurring in the gulf with the oil leak, this resolution gives us 
context in which to understand the risks from the delayed response that 
is occurring to stop the leak in the gulf.
  We rely on oceans every day for our regular way of life. Oceans 
provide thousands of jobs for fishermen, sailors, and many other 
professions. All Americans are served by oceans in numerous ways, 
including for food and transport for the vast array of goods that are 
transported by cargo ships across oceans.
  Mr. Speaker, our oceans are an incredibly precious resource, and we 
should protect them for the future. I ask that my colleagues join in 
support of this resolution.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. CHU. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from 
California, Representative Farr.

                              {time}  1130

  Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the resolution, which I 
sponsored with many other Members of Congress. And I would first of all 
like to thank the committee and the leadership they provided in a 
bipartisan fashion to bring this bill to the floor.
  As has been stated, the ocean is our largest public trust. It covers 
two-thirds of the planet. It's responsible for one-third of the total 
gross domestic product of the United States. It is closely linked to 
our day-to-day activities and, frankly, to the success of our Nation.
  Tom Friedman said, ``A crisis is a terrible thing to waste.'' We 
cannot let the crisis that has happened in the gulf pass us by. We've 
faced disasters in this country before, and we have moved to act. After 
Rachel Carson wrote ``Silent Spring'' in 1962, and the Santa Barbara 
oil spill happened in 1969, the environmental movement took a strong 
hold in the United States. Congress followed up by adopting the Clean 
Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the National Environmental Policy Act in 
short order. We will debate the acts that we have to take following the 
crisis in the gulf, but today we are joined in unanimous thought that 
the ocean is important, and it warrants its recognition.
  We might say it's a very salty week here in Washington. June is the 
National Oceans Month. This week is the Capitol Hill Oceans Week, where 
members of the ocean interests and science community come to Washington 
to petition their government. And yesterday was World Ocean Day. For 
over a month now, the Nation has been experiencing the worst marine 
disaster in history.
  World Ocean Day was first recognized in 1992's Earth Summit in Rio de 
Janeiro, and has been celebrated unofficially ever since. The United 
Nations took official recognition of the day last year. I am proud to 
lead the effort here in Congress this year.
  The resolution that we are adopting emphasizes we have an individual 
and

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collective duty, both nationally and internationally, to be ocean 
stewards. The resolution also petitions the President to set priorities 
using his Ocean Policy Task Force. I will continue in my role as 
representing the coast of California and one of the marine science 
leading geography areas in the world of marine science to bring to this 
floor issues important to the ocean. But right now I want to join my 
colleagues in celebrating that we all agree that it's important to 
recognize the oceans.
  Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, as Congress takes this time to recognize 
World Ocean Day, I think it is absolutely appropriate for us to ask the 
administration for answers on the gulf oil leak and the tragedy that is 
occurring there. I think the American people are outraged, and they 
want to know how did this happen, they want to know how is it going to 
be stopped, and how is it going to be cleaned up. I think the 
administration needs to tell us what their game plan is and what their 
actions are.
  Currently, it is as if the administration is merely telling what BP 
is saying. And I think the American people want to know, and as 
Congress takes this action, it would be appropriate for the 
administration to step forward and say how did this happen, how are we 
going to stop this, and how are we going to clean it up, and how are we 
going to make certain this doesn't happen again. I know that in Ohio 
people look down to the gulf with just outrage of the risk that is 
occurring to wildlife, our beaches. And they want to know what is this 
administration going to do, what is the plan, and how is this going to 
be stopped.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. CHU. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Garamendi).
  Mr. GARAMENDI. Congressman Farr, thank you for your leadership on 
this. This is not a new issue for you. I remember your days in the 
California legislature, where you carried such legislation. You do 
represent one of the most pristine and one of the most precious parts 
of the California coast, the Monterey Bay. Therefore, it's appropriate 
for you to carry and it's appropriate for this Congress to act on this 
resolution, recognizing World Ocean Day and, beyond that, recognizing 
the critical importance of oceans to all of us.
  It is the birthplace of life. It is the place where we find our 
climate, our oxygen, a lot of our food, and our commerce. It's also the 
place that we have over the years trashed. Trash is flowing into the 
ocean, sewage is flowing into the ocean, pollution of all kinds, and 
now the ultimate pollution of a blowout of an oil well in the Gulf of 
Mexico.
  It's time for us to not only pay attention to the ocean, which this 
resolution does; it's also time for us to protect the oceans. We know 
that climate change, the increasing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is 
leading to the acidification of oceans. And that will kill much of the 
life of the ocean if it were to continue to increase.
  What are we doing about it? Well, we are recognizing it today. We 
will take this as step one. Yes, the administration needs to be 
forthcoming with information. But we also need to rein in the oil 
industry and make sure that any drilling in the oceans is done in a 
maximum safe way. For the west coast, I have authored the West Coast 
Ocean Protection Act that would prohibit new leases off the west coast 
of California, Oregon, and Washington. That is the maximum protection. 
More needs to be done. This is a starting point.
  This is a recognition of our responsibility as Members of Congress to 
take action not only with a resolution recognizing this day, but with 
solid laws that require the protection and provide the protection 
necessary for the ocean.
  Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, again as we take up this resolution for 
World Ocean Day, America has questions for this administration on how 
they are going to stop this leak, how we are going to protect our 
oceans and the wildlife, and how this is going to be cleaned up.
  You know, most administrations when they take office say, We are 
ready for the job day one. Well, day one was a year-and-a-half ago, and 
we still have a crisis in the gulf, and people want to know, Well, 
where is the administration? We are on day 51 of the leak down in the 
gulf. Day 51.
  Perhaps in addition to World Ocean Day, every day Congress should 
pass a resolution proclaiming a day in honor of the tragedy that's 
occurring down in the gulf. Day 51 and we still don't have an answer, 
we don't know how this is going to be stopped, we don't know what the 
administration's plans are, and we don't know what the administration's 
plans are for cleaning this up.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. CHU. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio 
(Mr. Kucinich).
  Mr. KUCINICH. I thank the gentlelady for yielding.
  I rise in support of the resolution, June 8 as World Ocean Day. But 
for the past 50 days, and for the next 6 months at least, every other 
day is going to be ``ruin our oceans day.''
  We like to think, well, this is all about BP. I think we have to go a 
little bit further. We have to understand that we have been pursuing a 
way of life that is not sustainable. It's not sustainable for us as 
human beings; it's not sustainable for our planet.
  So we can be here today to talk about the oceans, and we should; but 
we have to keep in mind, Mr. Speaker, that our oceans receive billions 
of gallons of runoff flows, pesticides, metals like mercury and lead, 
massive amounts of fertilizer, volatile organic compounds, countless 
other chemicals. Even before the Deepwater disaster, this runoff caused 
the single biggest dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico.
  Our oceans are absorbing the malfeasance of oil companies who are not 
only responsible for at least three separate major oil gushers as we 
speak, but are responsible as being one of two major contributors 
causing climate change. And we are subsidizing them with taxpayers' 
money. Our oceans are absorbing the malfeasance of coal companies, the 
other major fossil fuel contributor to climate change. For decades the 
oceans have been our repository for the greenhouse gases that come 
mostly from the burning of fossil fuel. The result is that oceans have 
grown more acidic. Coral is dying; underwater temperature patterns are 
shifting, undermining entire ecosystems.
  There are signs our oceans have reached the limit. Some studies 
indicate oceans won't be able to absorb any more, if any, greenhouse 
gases out of the atmosphere. That only increases the urgency with which 
we must act to achieve a carbon-free and even nuclear-free energy 
portfolio.
  But the ultimate challenge that we have about upholding the 
environmental integrity of our oceans comes because we have really 
disassociated ourselves from nature. We see nature as being out there. 
We see nature as not even being a part of us. And because we are 
avoiding our responsibility to protect God's creation, the price we are 
going to be paying in the future will keep getting higher: oceans that 
are poisoned, a planet ruined, and all of life threatened with 
extinction.
  So we can keep temporizing about what's going on in the gulf, but the 
fact of the matter is that sooner or later we must come to an 
accounting with the kind of energy that we are using and the damage it 
does to the environment and to the human race and all other life on the 
planet.
  Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate Mr. Kucinich from Ohio's 
comments on the issues of how we need to look at how we are treating 
the environment. And as we are into day 51 of this crisis in the gulf, 
Congress has begun to have hearings, the House and the Senate, asking 
questions about what happened. But I think the administration needs to 
come forward and give some serious answers to the American people. As 
people look to the news and to the Web cams of the leak, they want to 
know from this administration what's the answer. How is this going to 
be stopped? How is this going to be addressed? How is it going to be 
cleaned up?
  Fifty-one days into this, we don't know yet how this is going to be

[[Page 10294]]

stopped or what manner by which it should be stopped. We are still 
listening to BP give us the answers instead of the administration 
telling us, well, what is the standard? What should be happening? How 
should we be protecting the coast?
  And it makes you wonder, a year-and-a-half into this administration, 
well, how are we doing on the other oil rigs that are there? Is this 
administration prepared in determining whether or not the other oil 
rigs currently represent a threat? What inspections are they doing? 
What compliance are they doing?
  As Congress passes World Ocean Day, the administration should pause 
and turn to the American people and give us some answers as to what 
their response is going to be to this 51 days into a terrible crisis 
down in the gulf.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. CHU. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon 
(Mr. Blumenauer).
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. I am intrigued with my colleague from Ohio's 
approach, because when the other team was in charge, we had a series of 
programs that undercut the ability to have government equipped moving 
forward: the scandals in the MMS, the appointment of people literally 
from the industry to sort of look at their former colleagues, people 
who were literally in bed with the people that they were supposed to 
regulate.
  A series of efforts, the litany that we have heard from our 
colleagues when they were in charge was to cut back on regulation, to 
move it faster, to do more drill, baby, drill. And with all due 
respect, I think looking at the history of 10 years of moving in the 
other direction, to now somehow fault the administration, who inherited 
an unparalleled economic collapse, problems with EPA, with MMS around 
the whole array of areas that are a consequence of policies that were 
put in place by our friends on the other side of the aisle.
  I feel it's somewhat ironic that we are celebrating Ocean Day on the 
51st day of the disaster. I am hopeful that it is an area that we are 
not somehow going to spend--I am happy to go toe to toe with my friend 
in terms of what the Republicans did and their policies to strip the 
Federal Government of the ability to move forward, but I think what we 
need to do is talk about where we are going forward to reduce our 
reliance on imported oil and domestically produced fossil fuels.
  We need to move to a cleaner, greener approach, where we have more 
energy efficiency. We absolutely need to be aggressive in making sure 
that the laws are enforced. We need to have people who stop being 
apologists for the industry, whether it's BP or mining disasters, and 
move forward with a new era of more efficient-energy use, and respect 
for the oceans.
  I am honored to be on the floor with my colleague Mr. Farr, who has 
been a champion for as long as I have been in Congress in this area 
that deserves far more attention, far more resources, far more work on 
the part of the Congress.
  I would hope that respect for the oceans, that research and 
protections would be something that brings us together so that not only 
do we avoid disasters like this in the future, but we are able to do a 
better job with the wide range of areas that are going to make such a 
difference for the future of the planet.
  Mr. TURNER. With all due respect to the gentleman from Oregon, since 
the Democrats have been in charge of the House for the past 3\1/2\ 
years, if there were any regulatory or legislative issues or 
resolutions that needed to be passed, certainly we would have seen 
those and they would have moved forward out of this House. 
Unfortunately, what we see out of this House is a resolution for World 
Ocean Day, a resolution for World Ocean Day while we have this crisis 
going on down in the gulf and the administration is still not giving us 
answers as to how is this going to be addressed.

                              {time}  1145

  The big question that everybody has in the news is not what is BP 
doing or what is it going to be doing next or is the fix that they 
currently are pursuing going to work, but what is this administration's 
answer to how this should be addressed, what should be done. This 
administration has been in office for 1\1/2\ years. This crisis has 
been going on for 51 days. Surely in the past 51 days the 
administration should be able to step forward and give the American 
people a clear answer as to how did this happen, how is it going to be 
stopped, and how are we going to clean this up. This is something that 
I think everyone, as we pause for World Ocean Day, would certainly 
pause for those answers.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. CHU. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
California, Congresswoman Capps.
  Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding, and I 
rise today to express my strong support for H. Res. 1330, a resolution 
recognizing June 8 as World Ocean Day.
  I want to thank my colleague and dear friend Sam Farr, who represents 
a neighboring district to mine on the central coast of California, for 
introducing this important resolution of which I am a proud cosponsor.
  We are a water planet, Mr. Speaker. The oceans cover 71 percent of 
the Earth's surface and contain 97 percent of the planet's water. They 
regulate our climate. They regulate our weather. We depend on them for 
the air we breathe, for protein in our diets, for our quality of life.
  Yesterday, the international community celebrated World Ocean Day. 
Now, more than ever, it is time for us to pay tribute to our oceans and 
to their resources.
  Two national commissions have found our oceans are under increasing 
pressure. They are showing signs of serious decline from oxygen-
deprived dead zones to depleted fish populations to contaminated beach 
waters, and now we must add a massive oil spill to the list. This 
disastrous gulf oil spill is the worst environmental disaster in our 
Nation's history.
  There is no doubt our addiction to oil jeopardizes the vibrant and 
economically important marine life of our world's oceans. We are being 
reminded every day of the often-forgotten value of these resources, and 
it's our responsibility to protect them.
  A national ocean policy is needed, Mr. Speaker, perhaps now more than 
ever. Such a policy would ensure that activities occurring off our 
shores, like offshore drilling, that these activities meet the basic 
requirements of protecting, maintaining, and restoring our ocean 
ecosystems and resources. President Obama has already erected a task 
force to develop, with public input, recommendations for a national 
ocean policy, which are expected soon. This is an important first step 
that will better protect our oceans.
  But there's another step that Congress can take. So I urge my 
colleagues to join with me not only in supporting this important 
resolution recognizing World Ocean Day, but as our colleague from 
Oregon has just stated, moving forward, taking the collective 
responsibility, the stewardship that we share to defend and care for 
our water planet.
  Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, the prior speaker indicated that the 
President has pulled together a task force for a national ocean policy 
and is looking for public input. I think we know what that public input 
is. It's, Mr. President, tell the American people how this leak is 
going to be stopped. Tell us how this cleanup is going to occur, and 
tell us how this is going to be avoided in the future. The public input 
is, Stop the leak.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. CHU. I now yield 3 minutes to the author of this resolution, 
Representative Farr, the gentleman from California.
  Mr. FARR. I appreciate the support for this bill on both sides of the 
aisle.
  I would just like to address that although the resolved clause is 
very simple, it recognizes for the first time that Congress recognizes 
for the first time that we ought to recognize a day when the whole 
world is trying to recognize the ocean. I mean, it does cover two-
thirds of our planet, and it is very important to the ecosystem and the 
health and well-being of mankind to have a healthy ocean.

[[Page 10295]]

  And that's, you know, in a way, as the minority speaker said, that's 
not a big deal when there's a huge crisis going on, but it's the first 
time Congress has recognized the ocean in that sense. So it is 
important as a first step. I think what's more important and answers 
some of the questions that you raise, not just the questions of cleanup 
in the gulf but a much bigger question that a lot of us in Congress 
have been asking, is: Where is our national ocean policy?
  We have had policy about clean water and how we want to govern that 
and set up a process for determining how we can ensure that water that 
we drink and that we disperse into the oceans is clean. We have 
national policy on air quality of the air we breathe, but we have no 
national policy on health of the oceans or even use of the oceans for 
fishing, for mining, for other kinds of purposes. And that is what's 
lacking.
  We're governing in a crisis because we have an oil spill. And what I 
respect the committee in doing in their unanimous consent is looking at 
these ``whereases'' in this bill that really calls for these bigger 
policies so that we don't get into this problematic area, kind of going 
at things blindly. And I think that's what really the importance is 
here.
  This bill coming at this time--it was introduced before the oil spill 
began but certainly has developed a lot of popularity because people 
want to say, Yes, we do recognize the oceans. And I think this is a 
first start for Congress to really look at a comprehensive package of 
issues.
  We can go into the debates, going to get into a lot of things you 
heard today. But it's very important that we together, in a unanimous, 
bipartisan way, look at the fact that the ocean is a very critical 
resource to the well-being of the world, much less the well-being of 
the United States. And I appreciate the bipartisan support to bring 
this bill to the floor, and I ask that we have a unanimous vote on it.
  Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, as Congress takes up World Ocean Day, we are 
51 days into a crisis in the gulf where this administration, 1\1/2\ 
years into this administration, still has not provided the American 
people with answers as to how will this leak be stopped, how will this 
be cleaned up, how will this be avoided in the future. The American 
people, as we take up World Ocean Day, pause, looking at the 51 days of 
the continuing crisis in the gulf, and look for answers.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 
1330, introduced by my colleague Mr. Sam Farr of California. The 
Resolution calls upon the United States to recognize World Oceans Day, 
where we pay tribute to the oceans for what it provides and recognize 
our duty to protect, conserve, maintain, and rebuild our ocean and its 
resources so it may continue to be enjoyed by future generations.
  As the Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and 
Wildlife, I fully support House Resolution 1330, which brings attention 
to the importance of our world's oceans in our cultural, social, 
economic and scientific life. Since 1992, the world has celebrated 
World Oceans Day, with the first celebrated at the Earth Summit in Rio 
de Janeiro. This year's theme, ``Oceans of Life,'' is fitting as our 
oceans contain great biodiversity that sustain our human population.
  The people in my home district of Guam fully understand the 
significance of our oceans. As an island community in the Western 
Pacific, our economy relies on the natural beauty of our beaches to 
support our tourism industry. Understanding that our beaches allow both 
residents and tourists to engage in recreational activities, the people 
of Guam remain responsible environmental stewards. The oceans 
surrounding Guam, which continue to sustain life on the island, are a 
central part of Chamorro culture. This appreciation of the ocean by all 
of Guam's residents is rooted in an understanding that it is important 
to protect our natural resources, which include our coral reefs, fish 
and marine life.
  Unfortunately, the health of our oceans is threatened at all levels. 
From climate change affecting our ocean's biodiversity to the most 
recent oil disaster in the Gulf Coast, we must continue to work to 
address these issues so that future generations are able to experience 
the educational, recreational and economic benefits of our world's 
oceans.
  With that, I ask all my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to 
support House Resolution 1330, recognizing World Ocean Day.
  Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 1330, a 
resolution recognizing June 8 as World Ocean Day. Hawaii is the only 
state in the nation that is surrounded entirely by ocean, giving us a 
unique appreciation for the vast resource that is the Pacific Ocean. 
Almost every household good in Hawaii was shipped over the ocean. Our 
state's economy relies on our harbors--large and small--and the beaches 
that draw visitors to Hawaii. The ocean provides recreational 
activities such as surfing, swimming, and fishing for our residents and 
visitors to enjoy. It would be difficult to find an aspect of life in 
Hawaii that is not somehow affected by the Pacific Ocean.
  The Native Hawaiian culture is also deeply tied to the ocean. 
Polynesian explorers discovered Hawaii traveling tremendous distance in 
canoes, long before the so-called ``discovery'' of Hawaii by Captain 
Cook. The Kumulipo chant, known as the Hawaiian creation chant, places 
the origin of life in the oceans, beginning with the coral polyp.
  Hawaii is home to the world's most ancient seal, the Hawaiian monk 
seal. My district includes the largest marine protected area in the 
United States, the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument in the 
Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, as well as one of the most important 
breeding grounds for the endangered Humpback Whale.
  The people of Hawaii have always relied on the ocean, but the 
situation in the Gulf Coast illustrates that the oceans belong to the 
world. Countries have political boundaries, but the ocean and its 
denizens do not. The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has devastated 
that region and now threatens the entire East Coast because of the Loop 
Current, the Gulf Stream, and other ocean currents.
  People in landlocked states also depend on the oceans, which absorb 
up to a quarter of the world's carbon dioxide. As humans have increased 
their carbon dioxide output in recent decades, the ocean has grown 
increasingly acidic. Over the last five years, we have learned that 
this acidification endangers coral, algae, shellfish, and other small 
organisms that support the base of the food chain.
  What happens to the ocean happens to the world. Whether landlocked or 
surrounded by ocean, we all depend on the benefits of healthy oceans. 
Fish stocks, ocean currents, and carbon dioxide do not abide by 
political boundaries. We, too, must work across our borders to unite 
with other nations in order to be careful and conscientious stewards of 
the ocean. For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to support this 
resolution to recognize June 8 as World Ocean Day.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, World Ocean Day has been 
acknowledged annually around the world since 1992. Officially 
celebrated by the United Nations for the first time in 2009, World 
Ocean Day this year falls on June 8. This serves as an opportunity to 
recognize all that the oceans have given us, to acknowledge the crucial 
role the oceans play in our survival as a species and society, and to 
affirm our intent to ensure the oceans themselves survive.
  A source for food, recreation, scientific and educational 
opportunities, the oceans are a fundamental building block of our 
society. Human beings have depended upon the waters for their 
livelihoods since the earliest days. Our forefathers crossed and fished 
them in generally the same manner that we do today. It's a testament to 
the fortitude of the oceans that they can persist when our technology 
and cultures have changed so much. That resiliency, however, is far 
from infinite. Should the oceans become no longer able to sustain life, 
we would very quickly feel the consequences.
  The oceans are also often the beginning and end of discussions on 
``the environment.'' Home to so many natural wonders and inherent 
beauty, the world's oceans are justifiably precious. And as such an 
integral element in global climate change, the oceans are a primary 
concern for environmentalists and nature-lovers alike. They deserve and 
need our absolute devotion.
  Because of all we have taken from them and because we are the only 
ones with the capacity to do so, human beings are the de facto 
caretakers of the oceans. With that responsibility, we must protect 
them and ensure their viability. The oceans have been subjected to so 
much--acidification, global warming, pollution. We must make sure the 
oceans can contribute to our grandchildren's grandchildren as they've 
done for us and our ancestors.
  We have been shown by recent events how fragile and delicate our 
oceans truly are and how quickly devastation can set in. We can see how 
much we still don't know about these bodies that make up the vast 
majority of our planet. Let us take World Ocean Day to enjoy the beauty 
of the innumerable mysteries hidden only in the deeps and make sure we 
do

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our part to look after them. By so doing, we act on behalf of the 
future of Earth.
  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 1330, 
recognizing June 8 as World Ocean Day. This is only the second year 
that World Ocean Day has been officially recognized. Unfortunately, now 
is a tragically appropriate time for all of us to recognize and honor 
our nation's oceans.
  The ongoing British Petroleum oil spill makes all of us realize how 
much our lives and the fate of our planet are intertwined with the 
well-being of our oceans. It should not have taken millions of gallons 
of oil destroying the Gulf to have served as a wakeup call that our 
ocean waters are treasures that must be preserved and protected. The 
workers who risk their lives every day on oil rigs to provide for 
America's energy needs knew how vital these oceans were. So did those 
of us who enjoy the bounty of shrimp and oysters harvested from the 
sea. The dolphins, sea turtles and pelicans and thousands of species 
dependent on the health of our waters were already aware about the 
precarious state of our oceans.
  Oil-soaked beaches in the Gulf now threaten the livelihoods of 
thousands of small business owners and fishermen as well as wildlife on 
and below the water's surface. British Petroleum was drilling in waters 
owned by the American people. The ocean belongs to all of us 
collectively, and none of us as individuals--or corporations. Even 
before this disaster, they were in a crisis, thanks to coastal 
development and sprawl, pollution, overfishing and an absence of 
government leadership.
  I am pleased to support this resolution to highlight the many 
benefits the ocean provides. The oceans are an economic, ecological and 
cultural resource that we in Congress and the international community 
must exercise the proper stewardship over for our future generations. I 
urge my colleagues to take up this responsibility that has been 
entrusted to us and honor our oceans by supporting H. Res. 1330.
  Mr. TURNER. I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. CHU. Mr. Speaker, I again urge my colleagues to join me in 
supporting this measure, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Chu) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1330, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Ms. CHU. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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