National Marine Sanctuary Caucus
The National Marine Sanctuary Caucus was established in 2006 by bipartisan,
bi-coastal Co-Chairs Lois Capps (D-CA-23) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL-18). Congresswoman Capps represents the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary and the southernmost portion of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, and Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen represents the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The caucus is now comprised of 26 Members dedicated to increasing awareness and strengthening commitment to America’s National Marine Sanctuaries. Though not all members of the caucus have districts that directly overlap sanctuary boundaries off their coasts, they all have come to recognize the value of sanctuaries to their states/territories and the nation.
(in alphabetical order by last name)
| Representative | Sanctuary in District |
| Brian Baird (D-WA-3) | Olympic Coast NMS |
| Madeleine Bordallo (D-Guam) | X |
| Lois Capps, Co-Chair (D-CA-23) | Channel Islands NMS Monterey Bay NMS |
| Donna Christensen (D-Virgin Islands) | X |
| William Delahunt (D-MA-10) | Stellwagen Bank NMS |
| Charles Djou (R-HI-1) | Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale NMS Papahānaumokuākea MNM |
| Vernon Ehlers (D-MI-3) | X |
| Anna Eshoo (D-CA-14) | Monterey Bay NMS Gulf of the Farallones NMS Cordell Bank NMS |
| Eni Faleomavaega (D-American Samoa) | Fagatele Bay NMS |
| Sam Farr (D-CA-17) | Monterey Bay NMS |
| Gene Green (D-TX-29) | X |
| Alcee Hastings (D-FL-23) | X |
| Mazie Hirono (D-HI-2) | Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale NMS Papahānaumokuākea MNM |
| Jay Inslee (D-WA-1) | Olympic Coast NMS |
| Patrick Kennedy (D-RI-1) | X |
| Barbara Lee (D-CA-9) | X |
| Ed Markey (D-MA-7) | Stellwagen Bank NMS |
| Solomon Ortiz (D-TX-27) | Flower Garden Banks NMS |
| Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Co-Chair (R-FL-18) | Florida Keys NMS |
| Gregorio Sablan (I-Northern Mariana Islands) | X |
| Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH-1) | X |
| Louise McIntosh Slaughter (D-NY-28) | X |
| Bart Stupak (D-MI-1) | Thunder Bay NMS |
| Henry Waxman (D-CA-30) | X |
| Robert Wittman (R-VA-1) | Monitor NMS |
| Lynn Woolsey (D-CA-6) | Gulf of the Farallones NMS Cordell Bank NMS |
The Foundation works in close collaboration with the caucus to help educate and inform Members of Congress, the Administration, and the public about sanctuaries and the issues related to them. Together, our highest priorities are reauthorizing the National Marine Sanctuaries Act and increasing appropriations for the NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. If you would like more information on the caucus, feel free to read the NMSC Dear Colleague for the 111th Congress, and/or contact Jonathan Levenshus (Capps) at 202-225-3601 or Sarah Gamino (Ros-Lehtinen) at 202-225-3931.
