The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“FULL-YEAR CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2011” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E250-E251 on Feb. 16, 2011.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
FULL-YEAR CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2011
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speech of
HON. MADELEINE Z. BORDALLO
of guam
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 1) making appropriations for the Department of Defense and the other departments and agencies of the Government for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2011, and for other purposes:
Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Chair, I rise today to oppose the drastic and reckless cuts my colleagues in the Majority have included in H.R. 1. This legislation includes cuts that will destroy jobs, pollute our environment, damage our schools, threaten public safety and impact nearly every aspect of our economy. They will not strengthen our nation, they will negatively impact our natural resources and inhibit future generation's ability to compete and innovate in the global economy.
Specifically, H.R. 1 would reduce NOAA's operating budget by more than $450 million dollars, severely diminishing NOAA's ability to protect marine ecosystems, manage our nation's fisheries and provide weather monitoring data to weather sensitive industries. In addition, it will cut programs that provide life-saving services in every state and district. These irresponsible cuts will jeopardize thousands of jobs, threaten public safety and have lasting effects on our national and regional economies.
Of particular concern to coastal regions like Guam, are threats to coral reef ecosystems and the fisheries and tourism industries they support. The US commercial fisheries industry alone accounts for more than $100 billion in annual sales and supports 1.5 million jobs, while the coastal recreation and tourism industry serves as one of the nation's largest employers. These industries are critical to the long-
term economic success of coastal regions however they are significantly threatened by coral reef degradation due to pollution, and climate change. Without healthy coral reefs, fishery levels plummet, and tourism declines.
Reducing NOAA's operating budget will further jeopardize these important industries. Without sufficient funding, NOAA cannot adequately protect our coral reef resources and could be forced to reduce public access to National Marine Sanctuaries and other recreational areas. In addition, H.R. 1 would significantly deteriorate NOAA's law enforcement abilities against illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing. The weakening of these programs would cause both immediate and long term job losses within the commercial fisheries and tourism industries. I strongly oppose all proposed cuts to NOAA's operating budget, it is too important to our economy and preserving our marine resources for future generations.
Another reckless cut included in H.R. 1 is more than $217 million to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). NIFA provides critical grants to universities around the nation, supporting food and agriculture research promoting economic growth and environmental protections. The research yields national value and is especially significant to food security, nutritional health, and increased agricultural production.
Specifically important to Guam, is the Tropical and Subtropical Research program, T-STAR. In 2010, the T-STAR program supported 46 research projects at the University of Florida, the University of Hawaii, the University of Puerto Rico, the University Guam, the University of the Virgin Islands, and at American Samoa Community College. These projects are critical to sustainable agriculture, pest control, and disease research. Funds provided by T-STAR are leveraged by a commitment of local resources, further improving public health, protecting agro-ecosystems, and saving taxpayer dollars over time. They offer a high yield on investment and funding for the NIFA and T-STAR programs should be made a priority. I strongly oppose the majority's irresponsible cuts to these programs.
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