WASHINGTON, D.C.— I want to thank Chairman McKeon and also Ranking Member Smith for their hard work putting this bill together.

My amendment, which is included in the en bloc, will address the repercussions of the expansion of sea otters into Southern California coastal waters. With the official termination of the sea otter containment zone by the Fish and Wildlife Service, sea otters will begin to migrate south. As they do this, they will be invading U.S. Naval testing areas.

While I fully support the recovery efforts of the sea otter, this does not have to happen at the expense of our national security.

By creating ‘Military Readiness Areas’ around San Nicolas Island, San Clemente Island, and the shores off of Camp Pendleton, sea otters will be able to expand their range. At the same time, the Navy will be able to maintain their incidental taking exemption, which allows the Navy to continue their operations off the Southern California coast without harming our national security.

Further, while implementing a plan for the recovery of sea otters, the Fish and Wildlife service will have to coordinate with the Navy and the Department of Commerce on recovery efforts for other endangered or threatened species, and with the State of California in continuing a viable commercial harvest of fisheries.

I urge support for this en bloc amendment. I yield back the remainder of my time.

Background: Gallegly today offered his Military Readiness and Southern Sea Otter Conservation Act, H.R. 4043, as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act. It passed as an amendment on voice vote. A House vote on the National Defense Authorization Act as amended is expected on Friday. The House Natural Resources Committee also approved Gallegly’s H.R. 4043 on a 24-13 vote on Wednesday.

Video: http://clips.shadowtv.net/media/stv/3343/8/2012/138/15/3343_8_20120517_1...