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Kaptur, Joyce lead 53 lawmakers in letter urging robust funding for harmful algal blooms

November 27, 2017

Letter to OMB pushes for sustained federal investment in President’s FY2019 budget

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), Co-Chair of the House Great Lakes Task Force and Congressman David Joyce (OH-14) led a bipartisan group of 53 lawmakers in a letter to the Office of Management and Budget Director, Mick Mulvaney urging robust funding in the President's fiscal year 2019 budget for programs that address harmful algal blooms.

"We write to respectfully request that you allocate robust funding in the President's Fiscal Year 2019 budget request for programs that address a widespread and ever-increasing problem affecting every state and territory in the nation: toxic algae blooms, also called harmful algal blooms (HABs)," the Members wrote to Director Mulvaney.

"Toxic blooms harm human health and cause several billion dollars in economic losses each year. While we have made significant advances in our understanding of where, when and why blooms occur, we must improve our ability to mitigate their impacts on our communities. We strongly support investment in science, research, and management to increase our capacity to forecast, detect, and prevent HABs, as well as to lessen their impacts on human health and economies across the country," the Members continued.

"To make the necessary progress toward understanding and addressing the significant and expanding threats that toxic algae pose to human health and our national economy, we ask that you prioritize a strong and coordinated federal response in this year's budget request with robust funding allocated for HAB-related work," the Members concluded.

Read the full letter here: