Save Our Seas 2.0 Amendments Act

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of my bipartisan bill, the Save Our Seas 2.0 Amendments Act.

Marine debris is a serious problem. Unfortunately, much of marine debris is made up of plastic pollution. The ocean is littered with plastic bottles, straws, grocery bags, cigarette butts, fishing gear, and abandoned vehicles. Additionally, there are tiny pieces of plastic, microplastics, that make their way into marine life, blocking digestive tracts, altering growth, and, in some cases, killing marine mammals and threatening fisheries.

We still don't know how long it takes for plastic to biodegrade completely. Estimates range from 500 years to never. A 2020 study from The Pew Charitable Trusts found that, every year, more than 11 million metric tons of plastic garbage enter the ocean, harming marine life and destroying ecosystems.

If we do nothing to minimize ocean plastic pollution, it will nearly quadruple by 2040. We need to fundamentally change our reliance on plastics. Not only do they pollute the ocean, but they also exacerbate the climate crisis. The fossil fuel and plastics industries are connected, and plastics contribute to industrial emissions in the United States.

A global challenge of this magnitude cannot be solved with a single bill. We should not limit our action to removing existing plastic from the ocean, and we cannot recycle our way out of plastic waste that ends up on our shores.

We need comprehensive action, but today, we have the opportunity to build on our strong, bipartisan foundation of bicameral efforts to strengthen the NOAA Marine Debris Program and enhance the work of the Marine Debris Foundation.

The bipartisan SOS 2.0 Act, which I worked on and authored with the late Congressman Don Young and Senators Sullivan and Whitehouse, is the most comprehensive legislation Congress has

passed to address marine debris that threatens coastal communities and ecosystems.

The bill created a Marine Debris Foundation to support NOAA's work; advanced the removal and prevention of debris, including plastic waste; and established a pilot program to provide incentives for the proper disposal of marine debris collected at sea.

Despite these important policies, current law does not effectively permit NOAA through the Marine Debris Program to assist and collaborate with foreign governments, international organizations, Tribal groups, and other organizations that may have the specific skills required to achieve the Marine Debris Act's goals.

As co-chairs of the House Oceans Caucus, Representative Gonzalez- Colon and I introduced the Save Our Seas 2.0 Amendments Act. This bill would amend the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act and the Marine Debris Act to provide NOAA with greater flexibility to deliver Federal resources and enter into cooperative agreements to conduct marine debris prevention and cleanup.

The ocean is resilient. We can help it heal, but we cannot afford to wait. We have significant work ahead of us to clean up and prevent marine debris, and the Save Our Seas 2.0 Amendments Act continues to build on our bipartisan foundation to protect the ocean.

I thank the gentlewoman and co-chair of the House Oceans Caucus, Representative Gonzalez-Colon, for her partnership on this bill. I thank our Senate colleagues, Senator Dan Sullivan and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. I also thank Chairman Graves and Ranking Member Larsen, as well as Chairman Westerman and Ranking Member Grijalva.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this bipartisan bill to strengthen the Federal response to marine debris and to continue to make ocean health a priority for future generations.

Mr. Speaker, I was unable to cast votes on March 11, 12, 13, and 19. Had I been present, I would have voted Aye on the following Roll Call votes:

Roll Call No. 79, March 11, 2024: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended--H.R. 1752, E-BRIDGE Act; Roll Call No. 80, March 11, 2024: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended--H.R. 886, Save Our Seas 2.0 Amendments Act; Roll Call No. 83, March 12, 2024: On Motion to Recommit, H.R. 6276--USE IT Act; Roll Call No. 87, March 19, 2024: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended--H.R. 4723, Upholding the Dayton Peace Agreement through Sanctions Act; and Roll Call No. 88, March 19, 2024: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree-- H. Res. 149, Condemning the illegal abduction of children from Ukraine to the Russian Federation.

I would have voted No on the following Roll Call votes:

Roll Call No. 81, March 12, 2024: On Ordering the Previous Question-- H. Res. 1071, Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 6276) USE IT Act, and providing for consideration of the resolution (H. Res. 1065) denouncing the Biden administration's immigration policies; Roll Call No. 82, March 12, 2024: On Agreeing to the Resolution--H. Res. 1071, Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 6276) USE IT Act, and providing for consideration of the resolution (H. Res. 1065) denouncing the Biden administration's immigration policies; Roll Call No. 84, March 12, 2024: On Passage--H.R. 6276, USE IT Act; Roll Call No. 85, March 12, 2024: On Agreeing to the Resolution--H. Res. 1065, Denouncing the Biden administration's immigration policies; and Roll Call No. 86, March 13, 2024: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as amended H.R. 7521--Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 886) to amend the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act to improve the administration of the Marine Debris Foundation, to amend the Marine Debris Act to improve the administration of the Marine Debris Program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material in the Record on H.R. 886.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 886 builds upon the work of previous Congresses to protect and preserve the quality of our oceans from marine debris.

This measure was reported favorably from both the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure as well as the Committee on Natural Resources. This reconciled version before us today was collaborated on and agreed to by both committees and would enhance the capabilities of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration without imposing any new mandates on industry or local government.

It also encourages the Marine Debris Foundation to establish its principal office in a coastal community in the real world outside of Washington, D.C.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support for this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I don't have any further speakers, so I am prepared to close. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill is an important next step to help remove marine debris and protect our oceans without instituting any new burdensome requirements.

Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I support this legislation. It is very close to my heart. I have worked on plastic pollution for many years.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Bonamici), the author of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Ms. Bonamici for bringing this legislation, and I also want to reflect on a group that I am familiar with called the Plastic Pollution Coalition that is headed up by Ms. Dianna Cohen and her sister, no relation to me. They have done great work on plastic and bringing the public's attention to the dangers of plastic in our environment.

Mr. Speaker, I support the legislation and urge all others to support it. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I was unable to vote on Monday March 11, 2024 due to a Helsinki Commission meeting. Earlier in the day I managed the floor time for both bills and advocated in support of them. Had I been present, I would have voted as follows: Yea on Roll Call No. 79 (H.R. 1752), and Yea on Roll Call No. 80 (H.R. 886).