Bioeconomy Research and Development Act of 2021

Floor Speech

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Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this legislation, particularly the natural resource provisions, much maligned by the minority Member just now. However, the health of our ecosystems and the industries that depend on healthy ecosystems are part of our natural infrastructure. That is part of our competitiveness, too.

Case in point, seafood supply chains. We know foreign fisheries do not have the same environmental and labor standards we have here in the U.S. Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, or IUU fishing, is a scourge. In the United States we intend to do something about it. I am proud to lead a bipartisan bill with my colleague from Louisiana, Garret Graves. That bill has been largely incorporated into the America COMPETES Act. It will help level the playing field for American fishing industries, and it is part of what will make us more competitive in the long run.

Mr. Speaker, I want to urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

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