Late on Wednesday night, the U.S. House overwhelmingly backed a Florida congressman’s proposal to have the National Institutes of Health (NIH) spend $6.25 million to study the impact of red tide and toxic algae.
The House backed U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan’s, R-Fla., amendment to the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill a 401-23 vote. Twenty-one Republicans and two Democrats voted against the proposal. Every member of the Florida delegation except U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Fla., voted for the amendment. Hastings was one of 14 members of the House who did not vote.
Buchanan weighed in on his amendment on Thursday.
“Scientists and researchers still do not know the full extent of red tide’s harmful effects on our health,” Buchanan said. “That has to change and my measure seeks to advance this important research.”
Buchanan pointed to the major impact red tide and toxic algae had on Florida last year.
“Red tide is an enormous burden on our community's economy, environment, and way of life,” he said. “Last year’s nearly unprecedented bloom wreaked havoc on the Suncoast. My amendment is designed to devote more than $6 million to study the harmful effects of this algal plague. We need to know the long-term effects on people exposed to red tide.”
Back in March 2018, Buchanan successfully got an amendment through Congress that sends $8 million to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Ocean Service “to detect, respond to and develop new and innovative technologies to mitigate the impacts of red tide.” That proposal was included in the federal omnibus. Buchanan was also instrumental in getting a proposal through Congress allocating more than $100 million to battle toxic algae and red tide.
First elected to the U.S. House in 2006, Buchanan serves on both the Budget and the Ways and Means Committees. Buchanan’s name has garnered buzz as a possible U.S. Senate candidate in recent election cycles but he’s opted to continue in the House.
