Chesapeake Bay Watershed Advancement for Training, Education, Restoration, and Science (Waters) Act
The House debated H.R. 6893, the Chesapeake Bay WATERS Act, which reauthorizes NOAA’s Chesapeake Bay Office, supports restoration of the bay’s habitats and wildlife, and provides statutory authority for a school education and training program. Every member who spoke supported passage under suspension of the rules, with Republicans Westerman and Wittman and Democrats Elfreth and Scott pointing to the bay’s importance to fishing, seafood, farming, tourism, and recreation across the six-state watershed, and to the office’s role in coordinating states, restoring oysters, and training students. Members also described the bay’s value to their own districts and noted decades of ongoing restoration work since 1983.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .
“I am asking the House to pass this bill to keep supporting the Chesapeake Bay Office.”
“Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6893) to reauthorize the Chesapeake Bay Office of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and for other purposes, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows:”
Official Congressional Record
Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6893) to reauthorize the Chesapeake Bay Office of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and for other purposes, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows:
“I support this bill. The Chesapeake Bay is very important for fishing, seafood, and boating. This bill keeps a federal office open to protect local wildlife, restore oysters, and run job training programs. It also requires reports to Congress on that work.”
“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6893, the Chesapeake Bay WATERS Act. The Chesapeake Bay is one of the most important resources in the mid- Atlantic region, including for the commercial seafood sector and the recreational boating and fishing community. I know that my colleague from Maryland (Ms. Elfreth) feels even more so about that statement. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Chesapeake Bay Office is an important partner for the Chesapeake Bay region by contributing scientific research, protecting habitat, and advancing oyster restoration. H.R. 6893 reauthorizes this office and several of its training and workforce programs. It also requires the office to submit a report to the Secretary of Commerce and Congress on its progress in conserving the Chesapeake Bay and the ways NOAA can work with other Chesapeake Bay Program partners. Mr. Speaker, I support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.”
Official Congressional Record
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6893, the Chesapeake Bay WATERS Act. The Chesapeake Bay is one of the most important resources in the mid- Atlantic region, including for the commercial seafood sector and the recreational boating and fishing community. I know that my colleague from Maryland (Ms. Elfreth) feels even more so about that statement. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Chesapeake Bay Office is an important partner for the Chesapeake Bay region by contributing scientific research, protecting habitat, and advancing oyster restoration. H.R. 6893 reauthorizes this office and several of its training and workforce programs. It also requires the office to submit a report to the Secretary of Commerce and Congress on its progress in conserving the Chesapeake Bay and the ways NOAA can work with other Chesapeake Bay Program partners. Mr. Speaker, I support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.
“I want the House to pass this bill. It keeps funding the federal office that helps clean up and protect the Chesapeake Bay. The bay covers several states and supports thousands of jobs in farming, fishing, and tourism. This bill helps states work together, study the water, and train students to take care of the bay.”
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 6893, the Chesapeake Bay WATERS Act, and I am very proud to co-lead this bipartisan bill with Representative Kiggans. The Chesapeake Bay is one of our Nation’s most important natural resources, and this bill will ensure the bay remains healthy for generations to come. H.R. 6893 reauthorizes the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Program office, which has been a leading partner in bay restoration efforts. Working alongside universities, State and local governments, and other stakeholders, this office supports the science and coordination necessary to understand the health of the bay and make informed decisions about the future. Importantly, this bill supports the observation, monitoring, collection, and analysis of marine resource data, an area I was committed to for over 27 years with the Commonwealth of Virginia. That information is used by policymakers, resource managers, and the public to better understand and protect the bay and its living resources. The bill also supports training and education programs, and strengthens coordinated efforts to manage, protect, and restore bay habitats and living resources. For communities across Virginia, the Chesapeake Bay is far more than a natural resource. It is part of our way of life. It supports our watermen, farmers, small businesses, and families throughout the Commonwealth. The bay is a major economic driver, supporting tens of thousands of jobs and generating billions of dollars in economic activity. Protecting the bay means protecting those jobs, strengthening our local economies, and preserving the natural resources that our communities depend upon. By continuing to invest in sound science, monitoring, education, and coordinated restoration efforts, we can ensure the Chesapeake Bay remains healthy for generations to come. This is truly a Federal role because this truly is what interstate commerce is all about. The bay is that economic engine that involves all of the States in the bay watershed. It is our responsibility as a group of States to make sure we continue to improve the water quality there and, in turn, the economic resources that come to us from the bay. The bay is an incredible economic driver for the seafood and tourism economies. All of those things are key. The Chesapeake Bay Program Office allows us to coordinate and make sure that all of us in the bay watershed are doing our part to make sure the bay continues to get cleaner and cleaner. I am very proud to support this bipartisan effort to protect one of our Nation’s most vital resources, and I encourage my colleagues to vote in support of H.R. 6893.”
Official Congressional Record
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 6893, the Chesapeake Bay WATERS Act, and I am very proud to co-lead this bipartisan bill with Representative Kiggans. The Chesapeake Bay is one of our Nation’s most important natural resources, and this bill will ensure the bay remains healthy for generations to come. H.R. 6893 reauthorizes the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Program office, which has been a leading partner in bay restoration efforts. Working alongside universities, State and local governments, and other stakeholders, this office supports the science and coordination necessary to understand the health of the bay and make informed decisions about the future. Importantly, this bill supports the observation, monitoring, collection, and analysis of marine resource data, an area I was committed to for over 27 years with the Commonwealth of Virginia. That information is used by policymakers, resource managers, and the public to better understand and protect the bay and its living resources. The bill also supports training and education programs, and strengthens coordinated efforts to manage, protect, and restore bay habitats and living resources. For communities across Virginia, the Chesapeake Bay is far more than a natural resource. It is part of our way of life. It supports our watermen, farmers, small businesses, and families throughout the Commonwealth. The bay is a major economic driver, supporting tens of thousands of jobs and generating billions of dollars in economic activity. Protecting the bay means protecting those jobs, strengthening our local economies, and preserving the natural resources that our communities depend upon. By continuing to invest in sound science, monitoring, education, and coordinated restoration efforts, we can ensure the Chesapeake Bay remains healthy for generations to come. This is truly a Federal role because this truly is what interstate commerce is all about. The bay is that economic engine that involves all of the States in the bay watershed. It is our responsibility as a group of States to make sure we continue to improve the water quality there and, in turn, the economic resources that come to us from the bay. The bay is an incredible economic driver for the seafood and tourism economies. All of those things are key. The Chesapeake Bay Program Office allows us to coordinate and make sure that all of us in the bay watershed are doing our part to make sure the bay continues to get cleaner and cleaner. I am very proud to support this bipartisan effort to protect one of our Nation’s most vital resources, and I encourage my colleagues to vote in support of H.R. 6893.
