AT ISSUE:
Protecting the nation's ocean and coastal resources

HOLLINGS' PERSPECTIVE:
With a record on ocean policy that spans over 30 years, Senator Hollings believes we must conserve our natural resources and use them efficiently to sustain high quality of life in coastal communities. As a Senator, he has earned a reputation as a practical conservationist who puts environmental issues on the forefront of the national agenda.

RECENT ACTION:
On March 24, the Senate unanimously passed "The Oceans and Human Health Act," introduced by Sen. Hollings, which will establish a federal research program that examines ocean resources and their applications to human health. The bill establishes a national interagency program to coordinate research efforts and ensure an adequate federal investment in this growing field of research.

In April 2003, Sen. Hollings reintroduced his Coastal and Estuarine Land Protection Act, S. 861, bipartisan legislation to improve protection of coastal areas and allow communities to better manage coastal development. The bill, which reflects South Carolina's cooperative effort to protect the ACE Basin, authorizes funding specifically for coastal land acquisition and encourages partnerships between federal, state, local, private and non-profit organizations to safeguard coastal resources.