National Estuaries and Acidification Research Act of 2019

Floor Speech

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Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 988, the National Estuaries and Acidification Research Act of 2019, a bipartisan bill sponsored by Congressman Bill Posey.

This legislation directs the Secretary of Commerce to coordinate a study with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to examine the effects of ocean acidification on estuary environments, and to submit the report to Congress within 2 years. Specifically, this study would provide Congress a greater understanding of the biological and economic impacts of ocean acidification on inland marine environments beyond what is called for under current law.

Estuaries are ecologically unique and economically important brackish water ecosystems that occur when inland rivers meet oceans. These areas possess unique biological characteristics and have not been the subject of studying the effects of ocean acidification to date.

Mr. Speaker, we have heard about the need for additional study for ocean acidification during the debate on the previous bills. However, this legislation would further improve our knowledge of this topic by utilizing the expertise and resources of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Ocean Studies Board to gain a better understanding of the importance of this issue.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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