defending ocean justice
Nearly 100 organizations urge Senators Murray and collins, leaders of the Senate Committee on Appropriations to reject harmful, anti-ocean justice policy rider included in current appropriations bills.
Almost every House funding bill contains anti diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility provisions. If these horrible provisions pass, they would perpetuate many of the very inequities that require the need for the DEIA policies in the first place.
Specifically, Congressman Bruce Westerman (R-AR) has offered an amendment to the FY24 Interior and Environment bill to gut the newly released White House Ocean Justice Strategy. This would not only undermine the White House’s commitment to just ocean policy, but would leave ocean justice communities behind once again, and affect the overall well-being of all ocean communities.
The Biden Administration’s Ocean Justice Strategy builds on the administration’s existing environmental justice commitments by proposing equitable and just practices to advance safety, health, and prosperity for communities residing near the ocean, the coasts, and the Great Lakes. Successful implementation of the Strategy will advance environmental justice on our ocean and coasts and benefit all ocean-dependent populations.
The HOC is proud to be one of the groups calling on Senators Murray and Collins to reject this anti-ocean justice provision, among others, when the Senate considers government funding.
Here is the letter:
Why is the Ocean Justice Strategy so important? What will it do?
