When President Donald Trump’s blueprint budget came out in March, it included eliminating funding for the Sea Grant program for next year. But Alaska’s congressional delegation doesn’t want it to go away.
On Tuesday, Sen. Lisa Murkowski introduced a bipartisan Senate Resolution — showing support for Sea Grant. Murkowski co-authored the resolution with Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley.
The resolution acknowledges that Sea Grant plays a “vital” role in many communities nationwide.
Last week, Congressman Don Young signed a letter of support with members of the House. In a town hall meeting in Petersburg on Monday, Young said the program receives a good return on investment.
“The Sea Grant program is dear to my heart,” Young said. “I had the head guy in my office the other day. We’ll continue to fund that. It works.”
Sea Grant helps fund research at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. The program helps track the economic vitality of the seafood industry and measure the effects of climate change — making up dozens of projects across Alaska.
In the coming months, Congress will decide Sea Grant’s funding for next year. The White House has asked to cut Sea Grant’s funding for the remainder of this year, too. That budget needs to be approved by the end of April.
