Silver Spring, Md. – April 23, 2025 – Today, the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation announced that Rep. Jack Bergman (R-MI) and Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA) will co-chair the bipartisan Congressional National Marine Sanctuary Caucus in the 119th Congress.
Members of the bipartisan National Marine Sanctuary Caucus are champions of a network of underwater parks in the ocean and Great Lakes, and the coastal communities that steward and rely on them. The caucus serves as a strong voice in our nation’s capital and among their peers in Congress working to raise awareness and strengthen commitment to the National Marine Sanctuary System and its importance to local economies and jobs, and public private partnerships in conservation, maritime heritage, outdoor tourism and recreation, and education across the country.
The caucus supports and promotes public policy that conserves our nation’s most iconic natural and cultural marine resources for all Americans; raises awareness and understanding of national marine sanctuaries and shares their successes as models for marine conservation worldwide; supports continued and robust funding for marine sanctuaries; and builds a coalition of champions for our national marine sanctuaries and our coastal communities.
Joel Johnson, president and CEO of the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, said, “We welcome Rep. Jack Bergman and returning co-chair Rep. Jared Huffman to their leadership of the House National Marine Sanctuary Caucus, and we thank the entire caucus for their commitment to these special waters valued by all Americans. We look forward to working with the caucus leaders to protect and restore our most treasured habitat and heritage in our ocean and Great Lakes and catalyzing more opportunities for the coastal communities who rely on national marine sanctuaries.
“From the freshwater shores of the Great Lakes to our Nation’s saltwater coastlines, productive maritime economies rely on fishing, tourism, recreation, and scientific research,” said Rep. Bergman. “In Michigan’s First District, the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary stands as a strong example of how conservation and education can go hand-in-hand to support these industries. This caucus builds on that foundation—promoting opportunities to experience and appreciate our unique marine environments. By engaging both lawmakers and constituents in the importance of protecting these habitats, we’re helping to ensure that future generations can continue to enjoy and benefit from the natural resources that define our way of life.”
“National Marine Sanctuaries are not only treasured areas that protect natural, historical, and cultural places across our oceans and lakes, but they also are essential to our coastal economies,” said Rep. Huffman. “Sanctuaries can take on any number of breathtaking natural features, from kelp forests to rocky and coral reefs and so much more – and I am honored to have not one, but two national marine sanctuaries in my district. Our spectacular underwater parks, Greater Farallones and Cordell Bank, protect critical ocean ecosystems and conserve wildlife. So I am proud to welcome my colleague, Congressman Bergman, to join me in relaunching this bipartisan caucus to raise awareness of sanctuaries and prioritize sanctuary issues on behalf of coastal communities and our nation.”
Congressman Bergman has been a member of the National Marine Sanctuary Caucus since its re-establishment in 2021. His Michigan district borders the waters of Lake Huron and the shores of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, which was the first freshwater national marine sanctuary and the first marine sanctuary designated in the Great Lakes. The thriving city of Alpena, Michigan, home to Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, is a modern success story and testament to the economic impact of sanctuaries on local communities. As a champion for Great Lakes conservation, Bergman serves on the Great Lakes Task Force working across the aisle to support legislation and other measures to keep Great Lakes projects and coastal community needs at the forefront of Congress and the Administration.
Congressman Huffman represents California’s 2nd district, spanning Greater Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries. Rep. Huffman was instrumental in supporting the expansion of both of these national treasures. Congressman Huffman has co-chaired the National Marine Sanctuary Caucus since 2021, leading the charge for marine sanctuary funding each year and championing critical legislation as Ranking Member of the House Natural Resources Committee, such as the Help Our Kelp Act.
Alongside the co-chairs, the current membership of the Congressional National Marine Sanctuary Caucus includes Representatives Nanette Barragan (D-CA); Don Beyer (D-VA); Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR); Julia Brownley (D-CA); Salud Carbajal (D-CA); Buddy Carter (R-GA); Ed Case (D-HI); Danny K. Davis (D-IL); Suzan DelBene (D-WA); Debbie Dingell (D-MI); Jimmy Gomez (D-CA); James A. Himes (D-CT); Sara Jacobs (D-CA); Pramila Jayapal (D-WA); Nick LaLota (R-NY); John B. Larson (D-CT); Nancy Mace (R-SC); Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY); Doris O. Matsui (D-CA); Joseph Morelle (D-NY); Jerrold Nadler (D-NY); Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC); Jimmy Panetta (D-CA); Chris Pappas (D-NH); John Rutherford (R-FL); Maria Salazar (R-FL); Linda Sanchez (D-CA); Adam Smith (D-WA); Darren Soto (D-FL); Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL); Jill Tokuda (D-HI); and Robert J. Wittman (R-VA).
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The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, established in 2000, is the official non-profit partner of the National Marine Sanctuary System. The Foundation directly supports America’s national marine sanctuaries through our mission to protect species, conserve ecosystems and preserve cultural and maritime heritage. We accomplish our mission through community stewardship and engagement programs, on-the-water conservation projects, public education and outreach programs, and scientific research and exploration. The Foundation fosters innovative projects that are solution-oriented, scalable and transferable, and develop strategic partnerships that promote the conservation and recovery of species and their habitats. Learn more at marinesanctuary.org.
Contact: Chip Weiskotten
Director of Strategic Communications
301-754-6134
chip@marinesanctuary.org