Florida’s waterways are the lifeblood of our economy and our entire way of life. That’s why I have made it my mission to find new ways to protect our most precious resource for generations to come.

The good news is that the House of Representatives passed a number of bills this week to do just that, including:

• The National Sea Grant College Program Amendments Act to provide additional funding for and expand the sea grant program to support university research on aquatic invasive species, oyster diseases and harmful algal blooms;
• The PLASTICS Act to reduce plastic waste and other marine debris, as well as increase the use of recycled material in developing countries.

There is always more work to be done to protect our waterways and environment, but I’m confident that these bills will help us build on the progress we’ve made!