Markey Statement on "Oil Above All" Drilling Bills

WASHINGTON (March 29, 2011) – Responding to bills proposed today by Rep. Doc Hastings (R-Wash.) and other Republicans, Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), the top Democrat on the Natural Resources Committee, issued the following statement:

“The Republicans claim they are for ‘all of the above,’ but when they release their drilling-only bills, it’s clear they are just for ‘oil above all.’

“Following the worst oil spill in U.S. history, House Republicans aren’t just doubling down on drilling, they are betting on a trifecta of drilling-only bills that will reduce safety and increase the likelihood of new oil spills on America’s beaches from California to Florida.

“When the American people demanded a 'spill bill' following the BP disaster, they weren't thinking of legislation that would actually increase the chances of another spill occurring, as this legislation would do. By offering these bills, it’s almost as if the Republicans are saying that the BP oil spill never happened, that 11 men never lost their lives, and that an independent commission was never created to subsequently not tell us about needed safety reforms.

“These bills show the same pre-spill mentality of speed over safety that was held by BP and others leading up to the worst oil spill in history. As one example, the Republican drilling-only legislation would limit the amount of time that the Interior Department can review drilling permits.

“These drilling-only bills offer no alternatives to oil, no push for renewable energy, and no attempts to be more productive while using less oil. These bills represent short-sighted thinking that won’t end our long-standing addiction to foreign oil, and will only enrich OPEC and the big oil and gas companies that have made hundreds of billions over the last decade.

“Just today, the Obama administration released a report showing that oil and gas companies already own tens of millions of acres of public lands, containing tens of billions of barrels of oil, that they aren’t even using. This isn't Oliver Twist standing up at the orphanage saying 'Please, sir, I want some more.' These are multi-billion dollar corporations, that already have more acres available to them than they can drill, that are then asking the public to hand over more of our land and water.

“Republicans also continue to stand in the way of pushing stronger safety standards for offshore drilling, choosing these speed-drilling bills over the drilling safety spill bill passed by House Democrats last year.”