mr. speaker , i thank the gentleman for yielding me this time . 
mr. speaker , i rise today in support of the resolution to create a house ocean task force . 
during the more than 20 years i have been here in the congress , i have made it a priority to promote protection of our oceans and effective conservation and management of the living marine resources . 
from protecting coastal wetlands to cleaning up our estuaries to promoting sustainable fisheries to preventing ocean pollution , each has been a priority . 
we have accomplished a great deal . 
but as highlighted in the more than 200 recommendations contained in the u.s. commission on ocean policy report released last year , much remains to be done . 
and as mr. gilchrest xz4001490 just pointed out , a bipartisan group to coordinate this activity is necessary , given the fragmentation that has existed in the committee system as it relates to ocean issues for more than 50 years . 
as a chief sponsor in the house of the legislation to establish the u.s. commission on ocean policy , i feel it is important to follow through and ensure the recommendations are effectively implemented . 
we need to build on the momentum generated last year by the release of both the u.s. and the pew ocean policy commission reports and accomplish a true sea change in the way we utilize and manage our ocean resources . 
given the scope and sheer number of recommendations from both commissions , it is also clear that we need to prioritize our efforts . 
the u.s. commission recommendations to congress include a range of issues that can not be addressed by any single committee . 
this task force will develop a number of recommendations that will be forwarded to the relevant standing committees and work with those committees to see that the recommendations are implemented . 
i feel it is time that we recognize that in order to make progress , we need a coordinated congressional focus incorporating policy justifications of each of the standing committees to draft a comprehensive national oceans policy . 
this task force will enable us to do that , and i might say that the republican leadership and i hope the democrat leadership is committed to help in this effort in a very direct way . 
it took more than 10 years to implement the recommendations of the stratton commission . 
we can not wait 10 years . 
the first u.s. commission on ocean policy was an important one , but 10 years is just too long to wait . 
we need to work together to ensure implementation does not take that long this time . 
we need to capitalize on the enthusiasm and momentum generated by the commission reports and their recommendations . 
i urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this house ocean task force resolution so that we will better be able to deal with ocean issues . 
