Scalise Statement on Oil Spill Commission Draft Reports

Washington, DC -- Congressman Steve Scalise today issued the following statement after President Barack Obama’s oil spill commission released four draft reports pertaining to the oil spill. The reports specifically fault the administration for hiding from the public the amount of oil leaking, underestimating the size of the spill, a delayed response, and failing to back up with data their claim that 75 percent of the oil had disappeared.

“Since the very beginning of this disaster, I have called on the President to fulfill his obligations under the law to lead the efforts to adequately respond to the spill,” Scalise said. “Instead of devoting all their attention to protecting our marsh and stopping the flow of oil, this Administration focused more on limiting negative coverage and exploited the disaster to implement radical policies like the job killing offshore drilling moratorium. As a result of their lack of urgency, the response to the spill failed to protect the Gulf Coast from damage that was preventable. The administration clearly failed to fulfill their responsibilities under the law, and these initial findings from the oil spill commission prove that point. I look forward to reading the commission’s final report and hearing their recommendations so we can prevent a failed response like the one we’ve experienced from happening again in the future.”

The oil spill commission was created through Executive Order on May 21, 2010.

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Contact: Stephen Bell
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