Moran-Connolly amendment gives final say to President, Defense Secretary
Washington, DC – Congressman Jim Moran today took to the House floor to speak out against the “Restarting Offshore Leasing Now Act”, which would require the federal government to open the shores of Virginia to drilling and hold a number of lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico in 2011.
“This bill is more about scoring political points and currying favor with the oil and gas industry than reducing the price of energy,” said Moran. “The proposed lease sale would interfere with U.S. Navy operations and Virginia’s commercial fishery and tourism industries. National Security and economic growth should trump lining the pockets of big oil executives.”
Representatives Moran and Connolly offered an amendment to the “Restarting Offshore Leasing Now Act” to give the President and Secretary of Defense authority to prohibit offshore lease sales that interfere with naval and Department of Defense actions. In May 2010 the DoD stated nearly 80 percent of the drilling area proposed to be sold in Virginia, Lease Sale 220, would interfere with U.S. Navy training and operations (including Navy SEAL Team Six).
“This bill will return us to the days of weaker regulations that existed before the BP oil spill,” Moran continued. “One year ago, BP spilled 200 million gallons of oil into the gulf coast waters. It is time we learned from these disasters.”
The United States holds less than two percent of the world’s oil reserves and American oil production is at its highest level since 2003. In the first quarter of 2011, big oil companies saw roughly $36 billion in profits.
To read more about Rep. Moran’s efforts to eliminate oil subsidies for big oil, visit: http://moran.house.gov/list/pr…
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