Scalise Leads Fight to Repeal Drilling Moratorium
Washington, DC -- Congressman Steve Scalise continues to lead the fight against the drilling moratorium by introducing an amendment to H.R. 3534, the CLEAR Act, designed to permanently repeal the Obama administration’s ban on offshore drilling. The bipartisan amendment already has 47 cosponsors, and will be offered at the House Rules Committee tonight.
“President Obama’s moratorium on drilling will cause more long-term damage to Louisiana than the oil spill itself, and I will continue fighting until it is overturned,” Scalise said. “As I speak with Members of Congress from around the country they quickly realize this moratorium will reduce safety and make America more dependent on imported oil from foreign countries who don’t like us. Despite false claims made by the administration, there is no magic pause button to hit and halt deepwater drilling for only six months – once these rigs leave, they won’t return for years, if ever. My amendment repeals President Obama’s moratorium immediately, and I will continue fighting to overturn this reckless policy that even the President’s own scientific experts say will reduce safety in the Gulf.”
As a result of the moratorium, multiple deepwater drilling rig owners have said they will leave U.S. waters to pursue operations elsewhere. The drilling ban is expected to eliminate more than 17,000 jobs in Louisiana, and up to 200,000 jobs along the Gulf Coast. 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.
Joining Scalise as cosponsors of the amendment are: R. Alexander, Bartlett, Barton, Bishop, Blunt, Boustany, Brady, P. Broun, H. Brown, Burgess, Burton, Cao, Capito, Cassidy, Coffman, Conaway, Culberson, Fleming, Franks, Gingrey, Gohmert, Graves, G. Green, Griffith, Hall, Harper, Issa, Jordan, Klein, Lamborn, Latta, Melancon, T. Murphy, Myrick, Nunes, Olsen, Ron Paul, Pitts, Poe, T. Price, Thornberry, Shadegg, Shimkus, Sullivan, G. Thompson, Upton, J. Wilson.
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Contact: Stephen Bell
202-226-9113