Mark Begich

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, as announced earlier, we expect to be in a position tomorrow evening to vote on the adoption of the conference report to accompany H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and that any statements relating to the resolution be printed in the Record.

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 48, submitted earlier today.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 21, S. 234.

Mr. BEGICH

Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, America's fisheries are as important to our coastal communities as agriculture is to the Nation's breadbasket. From New England and the mid-Atlantic to the gulf coast and vast Pacific, America's fisheries contribute $185 billion to our Nation's wealth, help drive the economy of coastal communities, create jobs for harvesters and processing workers, and provides the Nation a source of healthy, sustainable--and tasty--seafood. That is especially true in my home State, Alaska, which accounts for over 55 percent of the Nation's seafood landings, boasts 5 of the top 10 fishing ports in the Nation, and is the State's largest private sector employer, creating jobs that are spread from the largest cities to the smallest rural villages. Alaska seafood can be found from the Nation's finest white tablecloth restaurants to your neighborhood fast food outlet. And Alaska has harvested this resource in a sustainable manner. Alaska stocks are managed under strict scientific guidelines. None of these species is considered overfished. Fisheries elsewhere across our Nation face serious challenges from overfishing, habitat loss, climate change, and other factors, which is why Congress recently strengthened the conservation and management provisions in reauthorizing the Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Conservation Act to end overfishing, reduce bycatch and improve science-based management of our fisheries. Unfortunately, many of these provisions have not been implemented due to a lack of funding. Only a quarter of the species managed by the National Marine Fisheries Service have been fully assessed and provisions for the monitoring and enforcement of regulations are seriously lacking. The amendment I propose today would provide and help fulfill the intent of Congress, the recommendations of the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, Pew Oceans Commission and others who called for action to protect our oceans and the bounty it provides our Nation. It provides $39.8 million to help rebuild our Nation's fish stocks. Rebuilding the Nation's fisheries would generate approximately $19 billion in sales and create 27,600 jobs in the harvest sector and 295,000 jobs in the overall economy. It would provide funding for bycatch monitoring, habitat assessment and other research relevant to climate change. This amendment would provide an effective stimulus to our Nation's fishing industry and boost the economy of coastal communities from Maine to Alaska. I urge your support of this vital proposition.