House Proceeding on Mar 12th, 2009 :: 3:03:05 to 3:07:20
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3:02:55 to 3:03:18( Edit History Discussion )

James L. Oberstar: i also ask my colleagues to support my amendment that will help restore the bay and i reserve the balance of my time. the chair: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. for what purpose does the gentman from minnesota rise? mr. oberstar: i ask unanimous consent to take the time in opposition. the chair: without objection,

3:03:05 to 3:07:20( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: James L. Oberstar

3:03:19 to 3:03:41( Edit History Discussion )

James L. Oberstar: the time is -- the gentleman is can speak for five minutes. mr. oberstar:hank you. i support the amendment of the gentleman and i also want to note that all amendments requested by republican members of the rules committee have been made in order, though not all democratic requests were made in order.

3:03:42 to 3:04:03( Edit History Discussion )

James L. Oberstar: just want to make that just a little observation to assure our committee is being very fair and open and, more importantly, inclusive. the gentleman's amendment is extremely important. as was the offering by the gentleman from maryland, along with mrs. harky -- mark -- ms.

3:04:04 to 3:04:24( Edit History Discussion )

James L. Oberstar: markey. the chesapeake sbay not just a virginia, maryland, resource, it is a national and international treasure. the estuaries of the world are the places where the meeting of freshwater and saltwater create new forms of life.

3:04:25 to 3:04:45( Edit History Discussion )

James L. Oberstar: they are resources for the future. they are a window on the past and the chesapeake bay, this perhaps greatest of all estuaries in the world has been deteriorating at an alarming pace. there was a time when the oysters of chesapeake bay

3:04:46 to 3:05:07( Edit History Discussion )

James L. Oberstar: turned over that water once every 24 hours. there were millions of oysters. there down to 1% of their number. rock fish are coming back, crabs are down. why? it's not the watermen who are taking too much, although they're taking more than they

3:05:08 to 3:05:28( Edit History Discussion )

James L. Oberstar: probably should be under these deteriorating, declining conditions of fish and shellfish life in the bay, but it's the waters from as far north as new york and pennsylvania and west virginia as well as maryland and

3:05:29 to 3:05:49( Edit History Discussion )

James L. Oberstar: virginia that come discharge into the bay along with the potomac, that are bringing pollutant loads and toxic materials into the bay that are killing the fish and the shellfish and the life of this bay. i was very pleased when president obama designated lisa

3:05:50 to 3:06:10( Edit History Discussion )

James L. Oberstar: jackson to be administrator of e.p.a., had a conversation with her before her confirmation and after her confirmation and she said, i will make the chesapeake bay a priority consideration during my service and she has already designated a special advisor to deal with the needs of the chesapeake bay

3:06:11 to 3:06:32( Edit History Discussion )

James L. Oberstar: and the river and i want to assure the gentleman and all of our colleagues that the committee on transportation and infrastructure will consider re-authorization of legislation governing the quality of waters of the chesapeake bay. we're going to do this in due course. after ex consideration of nonpoint source pollution and the

3:06:33 to 3:06:53( Edit History Discussion )

James L. Oberstar: recommendations from the o.m.b., from the gentleman's amendment, will be important in making sure that we take the right policy choices to bring back this bay, to restore this quintessential estuary and protect future forms of fe that can be created in this

3:06:54 to 3:07:16( Edit History Discussion )

James L. Oberstar: great meeting place. i thank the gentleman amendment and i urgity support. i reserve the balance of my time. the chair: the gentleman from virginia. mr. wittman: thank you. i'd like to yield to the gentleman from arkansas, mr. boozman. mr. bo chair. i would like to associate

3:07:17 to 3:07:20( Edit History Discussion )

James L. Oberstar: remarks. i can't say it is -- it as