Bonamici, González-Colón Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Remove Marine Debris

WASHINGTON, DC [12/15/23] –Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) and Jenniffer González-Colón (R-Puerto Rico), Co-Chairs of the House Oceans Caucus, introduced legislation to help remove marine debris from the ocean and waterways.

H.R. 6781 would reauthorize the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Marine Debris Program through 2028. The representatives introduced the bill ahead of the third anniversary of the bipartisan Save Our Seas 2.0 Act, the most comprehensive legislation passed by Congress to address marine debris and strengthen NOAA’s Marine Debris Program. Bonamici led the original bill with the late Rep. Don Young (R-AK).

“Marine debris threatens coastal communities, ecosystems, and marine life,” said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. “Congress acted to strengthen NOAA’s Marine Debris Program to better respond to the plastics, derelict vessels and fishing gear, and other harmful debris that litters the ocean’s waters and shores. This legislation will build on that success to continue protecting the ocean and communities into the future. I’m grateful to partner with my Oceans Caucus Co-Chair Congresswoman Jenniffer González-Colón in this important effort.”

“NOAA’s Marine Debris Program provides critical resources to address and mitigate the adverse impacts of marine debris in our ocean and coastal environments,” said Congresswoman Jenniffer González-Colón. “In Puerto Rico, for example, it has supported initiatives to research and monitor the sources of marine debris within our watersheds, as well as multiple projects to help remove abandoned vessels, derelict fishing gear, and hurricane-generated debris throughout our coasts and waters. I’m proud to join my fellow House Oceans Caucus Co-Chair, Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, to introduce bipartisan legislation to reauthorize NOAA’s Marine Debris Program and ensure it can continue supporting state, territorial, and local efforts to comprehensively tackle this issue.”

The text of the legislation can be viewed here.

Senators Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) introduced the Senate companion bill.

Bonamici and González-Colón co-chair the House Oceans Caucus, a bipartisan group of House members committed to protecting the health and future of the ocean. This Congress, the Caucus has been focused on environmental stressors (including ocean acidification, harmful algal blooms, and hypoxia); marine debris; ocean data and monitoring; coastal resiliency; deep sea mining; and illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.

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