WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama convened a meeting at the White House to discuss ocean policy with key experts and congressional leaders, including U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), a member of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama convened a meeting at the White House to discuss ocean policy with key experts and congressional leaders, including U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), a member of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard.
“I was grateful for the opportunity to join leaders and experts at the White House to discuss how we can protect our oceans and coastal communities,” Schatz said. “The ocean drives the nation’s economy, and all of us have a role to play in keeping it healthy.”
Last month, Schatz and U.S. Sens. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) passed legislation that will implement treaties ratified by the Senate last year to better manage certain fisheries in the North and South Pacific and the North Atlantic.
At Schatz’s request, the Fiscal Year 2017 Commerce, Justice, Science appropriations bill contained funding for endangered Hawaiian monk seals and sea turtles, the Hawaiian Island Humpback Whale Sanctuary, and Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.
