As your representative in Congress, I am committed to getting real results for the First District. Throughout my time in Congress, I've made it a top priority to ensure the health of our environment so that it can be enjoyed by future generations. I’m working across the aisle to make sure we preserve the public lands Americans need to visit, explore, fish, hunt and enjoy wildlife and the outdoors for generations to come. This week, I had three of my bipartisan bills pass out of the Natural Resources Committee: the National Fish Habitat Conservation Through Partnerships Act, the North American Wetlands Conservation Extension Act, and the Keep America’s Waterfronts Working Act. These three bills work to increase conservation of fish habitat and wetlands, as well as preserve our working waterfronts.
Healthy waterways and fish populations are absolutely critical to providing clean water and sustainable fisheries. My legislation, HR 1747, passed by voice vote out of the Natural Resource Committee. HR 1747 codifies National Fish Habitat Partnerships, an initiative that aims to achieve measurable habitat conservation results through strategic partnerships that lead to better fish habitat conditions and increased fishing opportunities. This legislation will increase transparency, put power back in the hands of stakeholders, and require accountability to Congress, which will ensure taxpayer dollars go further to conserve fish habitat.
I partnered with Rep. Thompson (D-CA) to introduce the North American Wetlands Conservation Extension Act, which authorizes $60 million per year for wetlands conservation from 2020 to 2024. The North American Wetlands Conservation Act works to reduce wetlands disappearance by leveraging federal investment to raise contributions from private organizations like landowners, businesses, and state and local governments that support conservation grants. I also partnered with Rep. Pingree (D-ME) to introduce the Keep America’s Waterfronts Working Act, which would establish a Working Waterfront Grant Program that would provide matching, competitive grants to coastal states. The grants would go toward preserving and expanding access to coastal waters for commercial fishing, recreational guiding, aquaculture, boat building, and other water-dependent businesses.
These three bills are possible because my colleagues and I chose to look past our difference and find where we agree. The results are good policy. I am optimistic for our future as a nation and I will always be willing to reach across the aisle to get things done for the First District. I will continue working to rebuild our nation’s military, fix our crumbling roads and bridges, increase access to high speed internet, ensure veterans receive the benefits they deserve, promote career and technical education programs, cut the red tape hurting our businesses, lower the cost of health care, and get Washington’s spending problem under control. These are the issues Virginians care about, not the partisan bickering. I will not stop trying to work with my colleagues, Republican or Democrat, to get real results for Virginia.
