[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 7]
[House]
[Pages 9917-9918]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          OCEANS AND FISHERIES

  (Mrs. CAPPS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of smart and 
sustainable use of our precious ocean resources. We depend on a healthy 
ocean for so much--for food, livelihoods, recreation, and more. That is 
why scientists, managers, and entrepreneurs from across the country are 
currently in Washington, D.C., to discuss critical marine policy issues 
as part of Capitol Hill Ocean Week.
  A key issue on the agenda is the responsible management of our 
Nation's fisheries. America's fisheries are rich, both economically and 
culturally, because we have smart laws that prioritize sustainable 
resource use.
  Under these laws, our fishing industry alone contributed $199 billion 
in sales and 1.7 million jobs in 2012 alone. These laws, however, are 
being threatened by partisan legislation recently passed by the Natural 
Resources Committee.
  This bill--which I call the ``Empty Oceans Act''--would override key 
environmental laws, erode fisheries, and hurt our coastal economies. It 
is no way to manage our ocean resources.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose the ``Empty Oceans Act'' 
and find a better path forward.

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