{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://courtney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-courtney-and-lalota-introduce-bipartisan-bill-protect-long-island", "Reps. Courtney and LaLota Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Protect the Long Island Sound", "2023-09-18", "2023", "2023-09", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Joe Courtney", "C001069", "courtney.house.gov", "courtney", "https://courtney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "NORWICH, CT - Last week, Reps. Joe Courtney (CT-03) and Nick LaLota (NY-01) , Co-Chairs of the Long Island Sound Caucus, introduced the bipartisan Long Island Sound Stewardship and Restoration Act, which would reauthorize the Long Island Sound Program through 2028 to ensure the protection and preservation of the Sound.\n\nThis is the House companion to legislation introduced by Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY).\n\n\u201cThe Long Island Sound is a unique ecological resource for eastern Connecticut and is home to a vast array of economic activities in our region. This legislation reauthorizes the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Long Island Sound Program which will ensure the Sound remains a valuable resource for generations to come,\u201d said Courtney. \u201cLast year our region secured an historic new investment for the Long Island Sound from the federal Infrastructure Law and the FY23 government spending package. Reauthorizing the Long Island Sound Program ensures Congress can continue to invest in the preservation and protection of this special region.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs the Co-Chair of the Long Island Sound Caucus, I am proud to introduce the Long Island Sound Stewardship and Restoration Act. The Long Island Sound is not just a body of water; it's a way of life for our community,\u201d said LaLota. \u201cThis legislation underscores the vital importance of preserving this natural treasure, not only for our environment but for the thriving fishing industry that sustains Long Island's economy. Together, we can ensure the continued health and prosperity of Long Island Sound, a resource that defines our region and sustains our livelihoods.\u201d\n\nCongressman Courtney has worked to conserve and protect waterways and natural heritage areas in eastern Connecticut and the region throughout his career. In 2007, the House voted to pass Courtney\u2019s legislation to secure Wild and Scenic protections for Eightmile River, which is an integral part of the Long Island Sound Watershed. It was the first bill he introduced upon being elected to Congress.\n\nMore recently, Courtney has helped secure new protections and federal funding to help conserve eastern Connecticut\u2019s natural heritage for generations to come. For example, in the 2023 federal budget passed in December 2022, Courtney voted to secure $40 million for the Long Island Sound Geographic Program\u2014an increase of $8 million over the previous year\u2019s funding levels.\n\nIn 2019, President Donald Trump signed into law a public lands package that included the Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Wild and Scenic River Act\u2014a bill Courtney helped introduce that designates several waterways within the 300-square mile watershed as part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Courtney\u2019s bill officially made the Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed eligible for federal funding through the National Park Service\u2019s (NPS) Wild and Scenic Rivers Program to carry out preservation, conservation, and environmental stewardship activities. The 2023 federal budget also included $5.3 million for NPS\u2019s Wild and Scenic Rivers Program.\n\nTo read the full text of the Long Island Sound Stewardship and Restoration Act, click HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:37:48Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://courtney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-courtney-and-lalota-introduce-bipartisan-bill-protect-long-island"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.9110548309981823, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}