Protect and Restore America's Estuaries Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4044, the Protect and Restore America's Estuaries Act, a bipartisan piece of legislation to reauthorize and improve the National Estuary Program, the NEP. I thank Representative Malinowski for his leadership on preserving our Nation's estuaries as well.

Puget Sound, where I am from, is the largest estuary by water volume in the contiguous United States, and the waters and wildlife that call it home are one of the cornerstones of northwest Washington's environment, culture, and maritime economy.

As co-chair of the Congressional Estuary Caucus, I strongly support efforts to ensure robust Federal investment in the National Estuary Program and its vital projects, which is why I am proud and very pleased to support the Protect and Restore America's Estuaries Act. This critical legislation reauthorizes the National Estuary Program through fiscal year 2026 and increases funding for this critical program to $50 million annually.

H.R. 4044 also includes language I authored making clear that NEP competitive funds must be allocated for NEP-listed estuaries or projects that relate to these estuaries' coastal resiliency. This will help ensure that the Environmental Protection Agency follows congressional intent for NEP dollars to support local estuary restoration projects.

I look forward to voting for H.R. 4044 to ensure local communities across the country can continue their work to protect and restore estuaries.

On a related note, I also want to rise in support of the PUGET SOS Act, which will be considered later today. Introduced by my colleagues in the Washington delegation, Representatives Heck and Kilmer, this bill will improve and expand Federal engagement in Puget Sound recovery efforts.

At a time when the impacts of climate change threaten coastal communities throughout the Pacific Northwest and the U.S., endanger iconic species such as the southern resident killer whale, and decimate critical habitats, federal engagement and investment in estuary restoration must be a priority.

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