WASHINGTON (Saving Seafood) Nov. 3, 2011 — Nineteen members of Congress, from seven eastern seaboard states, have signed a letter drafted by Walter Jones of North Carolina to the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the House Appopriations Committe and the Commerce subcommittee asking that "language be included in the final FY 2012 Commerce-Justice-Science (CJS) appropriations bill to restrict the use of funds for development or approval of new "catch share" programs for any fishery under the jurisdiction of the New England, Mid Atlantic or South Atlantic Fishery Management Councils."
The signers represent districts in North Carolina, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Florida, New Hampshire, New York, and Connecticut. They noted that earlier this year the full House approved a similar amendment to the FY 2011 CJS appropriations bill by a wide margin of 259 to 159 (Roll Call Vote # 130).
The lawmakers continued "The last thing the American government should be doing in these economic times is spending millions of taxpayer dollars to expand programs that will put even more Americans out of work. But that's exactly what the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is attempting to do by requesting $54 million in its FY 12 Budget to accelerate implementation of new fisheries catch share programs across the U.S."
Read the letter which was signed by the following members:
Walter B. Jones (NC)
Barney Frank (MA)
Jon Runyan (NJ)
Frank Pallone (NJ)
John F. Tierney (MA)
lleana Ros-Lefftiinen (FL)
Frank C. Guinta (NH)
Timothy H. Bishop (NY)
Sandy Adams (FL)
Allen B. West (FL)
Joe Courtney (CT)
Mike Mclntyre (NC)
John L. Mica (FL)
Frank LoBiondo (NJ)
Peter T. King (NY)
Bill Posey (FL)
Christopher H. Smith (NJ)
Thomas J. Rooney (FL)
William R. Keating (MA)