Date: 2011-10-24
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I rise today in support of H.R. 295. "the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 1998 to authorize funds to acquire hydrographic data and provide hydrographic services specific to the Arctic for safe navigation. delineating the United States extended continental shelf. and the monitoring and description of coastal changes" which amends the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 1998 to provide the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) with the funds necessary to accurately map the U.S. Arctic. Thomas Jefferson signed into law legislation that would result in a complete survey of our coast. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has been honoring this mandate by charting our waters for over 200 years. NOAA develops and supplies a variety of products which enables vessels to safely navigate our waterways. These products include nautical charts. tide. current and weather information. These projects are vital to safe navigation of our coast. I represent the 18th District of Texas. which contains one of the worlds leading ports. the Port of Houston. I understand the importance of providing pilots and captains with precise and accurate maps. Having a detailed representation of our nations terrain ensures the safety of ships. their crew and their cargo. We must remember that every single day. thousands of vessels enter Americas ports. These ports are vital to our economy. The Port of Houston. which consists of the uppermost 26 miles of the Houston Ship Channel. is a significant economic engine locally. regionally and nationally. Each year. the port is responsible for nearly $285 billion in economic activity. supports more than 1.5 million direct and indirect jobs and generates $16.2 billion in tax revenue annually nationwide. Ships that enter ports like the Port of Houston carry cargo that is going to enter our stream of commerce and boast our economy. Across our nation this is a one trillion dollar industry that supports more than 13 million jobs in the United States. It is important to note that over 98 percent of the tonnage and more than 59 percent of the value of our foreign trade is conveyed via the maritime transportation system. By expanding our map to include the Arctic. we expand the ability of ships and airplanes to safely maneuver through those waters. thereby expanding commerce and creating jobs. In addition. having a detailed map of the Arctic is vital to our national security and can aid in the detection of climate change in the region. As the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection and Member of the Border and Maritime Subcommittee. I know that it is imperative that we protect our borders by land. air and by sea. As any Commander would agree. it is difficult to mount a defense without having a map to clearly navigate the terrain. The services provided by NOAA would allow us to map terrain that has not been adequately mapped in decades. Over the last five years there has been a dramatic change in sea ice extents. They have decreased in thickness by 35 percent. This may be a significant sign for environmental change. The decrease in sea ice means that more ships may have access to the area. thereby opening additional trade routes. To be clear. the erosion of sea ice has a serious impact on the livelihoods of people living in the region. The only way to begin to find an answer to the issues posed in the Arctic is to have a studied and detailed analysis of its current structure and how that structure has changed and may continue to change. These maps will help to generate commerce. which will create jobs and help our economy. At the same time these maps will be vital to noting any significant changes to our environment. Lastly. knowing our waters ensures that we will be able to defend ourselves against all enemies. If indeed the erosion of the sea ice extends. it will provide additional access to trade routes. It also provides additional access to our nation. These maps will be an invaluable aid to protecting our borders.