Congresswoman Niki Tsongas

Leadership: As a member of the House Natural Resources Committee, Congresswoman Tsongas is an important voice for ocean conservation. She is a long time supporter of the National Ocean Policy, recognizing that the challenges facing our oceans require the improved inter-agency coordination and stakeholder involvement that it provides.

The Congresswoman has also worked to prevent damage from offshore drilling oil spills, having led an effort to require oil companies to prepare detailed plans for responding to a worst-case scenario before they could drill. Tsongas knows that, in addition to their impacts on ocean healthy, oil spills can devastate other resources such as commercial fisheries. Congresswoman Tsongas believes the best way to achieve energy independence while growing our economy is to invest in renewable energy technologies, many of which are well represented in the Third District.

Congresswoman Tsongas has sponsored:

• H.R. 2240 (Lowell National Historical Park Land Exchange Act of 2011)
• H.R. 5319 (Nashua River Wild and Scenic River Study Act of 2012)
• H.AMDT.284 to H.R. 1231 (Amendment sought to require that all applicants for a drilling permit under a lease issued pursuant to the bill would have to submit a worst-case scenario oil spill containment and clean-up plan of 2011).
• H.R. 351 (Minute Man National Historical Park Boundary Revision Act of 2009)
• H.R. 5709 (Oil Spill Preparation and Protection Act of 2010)
• H.R. 5853 (Minute Man National Historical Park Boundary Revision Act of 2008)

Congresswoman Tsongas has co-sponsored:

• H.R. 139 (Udall-Eisenhower Arctic Wilderness Act of 2011)
• H.R. 601 (End Big Oil Tax Subsidies Act of 2011)
• H.R. 1375 (Clean Water Protection Act of 2011)
• H.R. 1380 (New Alternative Transportation to Give Americans Solutions Act of 2011)
• H.R. 1916 (America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act of 2011)
• H.R. 1964 (Conservation Easement Incentive Act of 2011)
• H.R. 3286 (Local Farms, Food, and Jobs Act of 2011)
• H.R. 3465 (National Forest Roadless Area Conservation Act of 2011)
• H.R. 21 (Ocean Conservation, Education, and National Strategy for the 21st Century Act of 2009)
• H.R. 1310 (Clean Water Protection Act of 2009)
• H.R. 5214 (Big Oil Bailout Prevention Act of 2010)
• H.R. 1016 (To amend the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Management Act of 1996 to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to enter into cooperative agreements with any of the management partners of the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area, and for other purposes of 2007).
• H.R. 1590 (Safe Climate Act of 2007)