JONES CALLS ON HOUSE TO BLOCK FUNDING FOR OBAMA’S NATIONAL OCEAN POLICY

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today U.S. Congressman Walter B. Jones (NC-3) and over 20 of his Republican colleagues urged the House Appropriations Committee to block funding for President Barack Obama’s National Ocean Policy.  In a letter to Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers (R-KY), Jones and his colleagues pointed out that the President’s policy may impose significant negative economic consequences on a variety of American industries, including agriculture, commercial and recreational fishing, development of traditional and renewable energy, manufacturing, housing development and tourism.  These sectors support tens of millions of jobs and contribute hundreds of billions of dollars to the U.S. economy.  Jones and his fellow Republicans believe the policy – which President Obama created via Executive Order 13547 and which Congress did not authorize – warrants further examination and oversight before any taxpayer dollars are spent on it.   

“At a time when this country’s unemployment rate continues to be unacceptably high, the last thing we need is more unnecessary government regulation that kills jobs and limits taxpayers’ access to the public lands they own,” said Jones. 

On April 12, 2012 a group of over 80 stakeholders sent a letter to Chairman Rogers expressing their concern and a desire to pause implementation of the President’s National Ocean Policy.  These groups represent a diverse cross-section of industries including agriculture, forestry, energy, fishing, boating, mining, construction and transportation.  House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Hastings (WA-04) also submitted a similar letter to appropriators on April 3, 2012.

Please click on PDF below to read a copy of the letter to Appropriations Committee Rogers.