Scalise statement on Oil Spill Commission final report

Washington, DC -- Congressman Steve Scalise today issued the following statement after the National Oil Spill Commission released its final report on the Deepwater Horizon disaster.

“While I am pleased that the Oil Spill Commission supports my proposal to dedicate the lion’s share of BP fines to the long-term restoration of the Gulf Coast, this administration needs to start issuing permits to those companies who have already demonstrated the ability to drill safely,” Scalise said. “The Commission’s claim of systemic problems throughout the offshore industry is not based on fact but instead implicates the entire industry for the reckless actions of BP. Those companies that have played by the rules should not be penalized for the mistakes of BP and others involved in the Deepwater Horizon tragedy. America cannot afford to continue ceding our energy security and energy independence to Middle Eastern countries, and we must resume the pursuit of a domestic energy production strategy that safely harnesses all of America’s natural resources and creates high-paying jobs here at home.

“The Commission’s findings highlight what we’ve said all along, that this was an avoidable disaster, that those 11 lives should not have been lost, and that our Gulf Coast wetlands and ecosystems should not have had to endure months of inundation by the oil. I will continue to push to hold BP and others accountable for their role in this devastating disaster.”

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Contact: Stephen Bell
202-226-9113