Statements On Introduced Bills And Joint Resolutions

Floor Speech

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By Ms. CANTWELL (for herself, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Kerry, and Mr. Nelson, of Florida):

S. 859. A bill to amend the provisions of law relating to the John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant Program, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Ms. CANTWELL. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Marine Mammals Rescue Assistance Amendments Act.

In my home State of Washington, our history and economy is based on a rich maritime tradition that contributes as much as $3 billion to the State's economy each year. There are 3,000 vessels in Washington's fishing fleet that employ 10,000 fishermen. Nationwide, ocean-dependent industries generate approximately $138 billion and millions of jobs to the U.S. economy. According to the National Ocean Economic Project, 30 U.S. coastal states accounted for 82 percent of total population and 81 percent of U.S. jobs in 2006.

For these communities, their histories and economies literally ebb and flow with the tide. It is vital we remember the ocean resources these communities depend on are a public trust, and a resource to be both treasured and protected.

One important element of the oceans' ecosystems is marine mammals. They reflect the greater health of the ocean environment, like a canary in a coal mine.

In Washington state, marine mammals like the endangered Puget Sound southern resident orcas are icons for our region.

My State's coastal waters are inhabited by gray whales, harbor seals, orcas, humpback whales, Dall's porpoise, California sea lions, and sea otters. They are an important part of Washington's marine environment, and deserve to be protected and respected.

But occasionally these remarkable animals run into trouble and need our help. They become stranded on beaches, ensnared in fishing gear, hit by boats, or harmed by marine trash. Human activities endanger these animals, as such, it is our responsibility to do all that we can to protect them.

The Marine Mammals Rescue Assistance Amendments Act continues our Government's efforts to protect and preserve these remarkable creatures.

It would reauthorize and amend provisions of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 relating to the John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant Program, Prescott program.

Before this program was created, saving troubled marine mammals was the burden of small, locally-funded volunteer organizations, many of whom were members of the Marine Mammal Stranding Network. These groups of local citizens took on the financial burden of rescuing and rehabilitating stranded mammals, relied mainly on piecemeal fundraising, and were woefully underfunded.

The Prescott program lends a much-needed helping hand to these organizations, helping to defray their costs for marine mammal rescue and rehabilitation. It also allows eligible Marine Mammal Stranding Network participants to use funds to collect scientific data to improve the treatment and operation of rescue and rehabilitation centers.

Reauthorization of this program is important to the Marine Mammal Stranding Networks around the nation, aquariums and zoos, the environmental community, and NOAA.

For example, in my home state of Washington, organizations like the Orca Network, the Makah Tribe, The Whale Museum, and the Cascadia Research Collective rely on this funding, and last year received a total of $319,000 in Prescott grant funding to help support their work preserving and protecting marine mammals.

The Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Amendments Act would amend section 403 of the MMPA to: define the term ``entanglement'' and add authorization for entanglement response as eligible for funding under the program; require the Secretary of Commerce to collect and update existing practices and procedures for rescuing and rehabilitating entangled marine mammals; establishes an interest bearing fund in the Treasury for emergency response to marine mammal entanglement and stranding, and allow the program to solicit and accept gifts and other donations to increase the impact of the program; increase authorization for the program to $7 million for each fiscal years 2009 to 2013; and increase the maximum grant for projects from $100,000 to $200,000.

We cannot turn our backs on the damage we do to our marine mammals every day. When marine mammals are harmed by human activities--whether intentional or unintentional, direct or indirect--we have an ethical obligation to do what we can to help.

As stewards of the oceans, we owe it to our coastal communities, our precious marine mammals, and future generations to fulfill that obligation.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be printed in the RECORD

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