Scalise: Drilling Moratorium Forces Company to Ship 300 Gulf Workers Overseas

Washington, DC -- Congressman Steve Scalise today released the following statement after it was reported that Baker Hughes, a Houston based international oil-field services company, has moved 300 of its Gulf employees overseas because of the Obama administration’s offshore drilling moratorium.

“These latest job losses confirm that the President's moratorium on drilling is costing jobs while decreasing safety as we lose our technological advantage to foreign countries,” Scalise said. “There is no magic pause button to hit and halt deepwater drilling for six months – once these rigs leave, they won’t return for years, if ever. It's time for the President and Secretary Salazar to finally start shooting straight with the American people by admitting there is no such thing as a temporary "pause," when in fact the real result of their moratorium will destroy hundreds of thousands of jobs across the country.”

In addition to shipping 300 jobs overseas, Baker Hughes announced they are also moving 25 percent of the company’s assets overseas. Baker Hughes CEO Chad Deaton also said that if the moratorium is not lifted, more than 200,000 jobs could be impacted.

As a result of the moratorium, multiple deepwater drilling rig owners have said they will leave U.S. waters to pursue operations elsewhere. In addition, should the moratorium continue, future revenue sharing for Louisiana to implement coastal restoration projects will be jeopardized, and more than $350 million in state and local tax revenues could be lost.

Scalise continues to lead the fight against the drilling moratorium, and yesterday introduced an amendment to H.R. 3534, the CLEAR Act, to permanently repeal the Obama administration’s ban on offshore drilling. The bipartisan amendment has 51 cosponsors.

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Contact: Stephen Bell
202-226-9113