Save Our Seas Act

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased today that S. 1982, the Save Our Seas 2.0, or SOS 2.0, Act is scheduled for consideration today.

Last Congress, we passed the Save Our Seas Act building upon the work of the Marine Debris Act, which combats ocean-based solid waste pollution.

Save Our Seas 2.0 develops these existing programs by establishing a Marine Debris Foundation to enhance Federal and private efforts to combat marine debris and authorizing a genius award to promote improved ocean cleanup technology.

The bill also authorizes studies, grant programs, and international negotiations to better understand the causes of ocean pollution and improve how we prevent and eliminate this pollution.

Mr. Speaker, I commend Representative Don Young for his work and leadership on the House companion to this bill. His district was hit particularly hard by marine debris arriving from Japan after the 2011 tsunami.

That tsunami drove one ghost fishing boat all the way from the coast of Japan to the Gulf of Alaska before being sunk by the U.S. Coast Guard; just one example of how far debris can travel.

Mr. Speaker, I also thank Chairman DeFazio for working with us on minor changes to this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support for this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I don't have anyone else to speak, so with that, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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