Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016

Floor Speech

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Mr. FARR. I wish the chairman was accepting this amendment because the faults that we hear are that we have limited resources. We have limited resources, but it is a priority where you give them. This ocean acidification is a serious problem. It is the most serious problem of mankind that we can do something about. When the ocean is starting to melt all the shellfish, the lobster industry, the crab industry, the oyster industry, and the clam industry, all of these industries have a huge effect on not only where they are farming, but where the tourism that is attracted to them.

Mr. Chairman, we can do something about it. We need more money. The President asked for $30 million in this program. The committee cut it to $8.4 million, says he is funding it. However, the President asked for the same amount of money for the exploration of the moon of Jupiter called Europa. The committee decided to give them $110 million more than the President asked for. So don't tell me that there isn't money available. It is just the priority where you give it.

Are you going to save this planet or put all the money into the moon of Jupiter? I think it is more important that we research ocean acidification, and that is why Don Young and I are introducing a bill to tackle this problem more than just this amendment in this moment.

Mr. Chairman, we have to get serious about this. The planet is melting, and the ocean acidification is melting the organisms in the ocean; and when they die, we die.

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