Senate Passes Warren's Amendment For Fishing Industry Relief
BOSTON (AP) — The U.S. Senate has passed the first amendment proposed by Massachusetts Democratic U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren to provide disaster relief funds for the Northeast fishing industry.
The bipartisan amendment passed Saturday was also proposed by Alaska's Republican U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski. It sets aside funds in the 2014 budget to aid fishermen across the region.
The U.S. Secretary of Commerce last year issued disaster declarations for several fisheries, including the Northeast groundfish fishery, which is facing reductions in catch allocations for key fish stocks like cod.
The Senate approved $150 million for fisheries assistance in December. The House didn't take up the measure.
The bill's co-sponsors include Massachusetts Sen. William "Mo" Cowan, New York Sens. Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, Rhode Island Sens. Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and Maine Sen. Angus King.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.
