Huffman, Bergman Announced as Co-Chairs of Congressional National Marine Sanctuary Caucus

April 22, 2025

Silver Spring, MD – Today, the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation announced that Rep. Jared Huffman (CA-02) and Rep. Jack Bergman (MI-01) 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 among their peers in Congress –working to raise awareness and strengthen commitment to the National Marine Sanctuary System. The caucus will highlight the National Marine Sanctuary System's 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.

“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.”

“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.”

“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," said Joel Johnson, president and CEO of the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation.

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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