Press Releases
Markey Asks for Hearing on Warming Arctic’s Implications for U.S. Economic and Military Interests
As Sea Ice Retreats, U.S. Economic, National Security Concerns Advance WASHINGTON (May 3, 2012) - Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) today asked Republicans on the Natural Resources Committee to hold a hearing on the economic, environmental and national security issues in the Arctic region because of the loss of sea ice from global warming. In a letter sent to Chairman Doc Hastings (R-Wash.), Rep. Markey cites a study released this week by the non-partisan Center for Climate and Energy Solutions that rai… Continue Reading
04.30.12
Markey, Frank, DeLauro Go After Wall Street Oil Investment Products
New Legislation Would Disallow Speculation in Energy Commodity Index Funds WASHINGTON (April 30, 2012) - Several top House Democrats are pushing legislation that would help hand back control of investments in oil and other energy commodities to airlines, trucking companies and other legitimate investors, and help dull the expensive impacts speculators are having on our oil and other energy prices. The legislation would tell Wall Street speculators that they can no longer invest in these financi… Continue Reading
04.27.12
IMPACT Act
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Eben Burnham-Snyder, Rep. Ed Markey, 202-225-6065 Karen Lightfoot, Rep. Henry A. Waxman, 202-225-5735 Patrick Malone, Rep. Earl Blumenauer, 202-225-4811 House Dems Move to End Oil Subsidies, Protect Clean Energy Jobs, As Four Oil Majors Report 3-Month Profits of $26 Billion IMPACT Act Would Preserve Wind Energy Tax Credit, Provide Manufacturing Incentives, Push Heavy Duty Natural Gas Vehicles WASHINGTON (April 26, 2012) - Several top House Democrats today in… Continue Reading
04.25.12
Markey, Miller: Are Oil, Other Commodity Funds Violating Pension Laws?
Ask Labor Dept. Whether Wall Street Products Putting Pensions at Risk WASHINGTON (April 24, 2012) - While the influence of Wall Street speculators on the recent spikes in the price of oil is well-documented, little-known financial products known as commodity index funds may be inflating the price of commodities like oil and wheat while also endangering people's pensions. Reps. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and George Miller (D-Calif.) today raised their concerns over commodity index funds with the head o… Continue Reading
04.24.12
Markey Statement on BP Criminal Charges Regarding Flow Rate Evidence
Congressman Revealed BP Underestimated Spill Size in Early Days of Disaster WASHINGTON (April 24, 2012) - Just a little over two years after the BP Gulf of Mexico oil spill began, the first criminal charges were filed today against a former BP engineer for deleting texts regarding the rate of oil spilling from the blown-out Macondo well. Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) revealed that the company was underestimating the size of the spill in the early days of the disaster, and pushed to create the Spill… Continue Reading
04.24.12
As Coal Exports Rise, Markey Asks for GAO Review of Federal Coal Leasing Program
American Taxpayers Must Receive Full Value of Domestic Minerals Before Sent to Foreign Markets, Says Congressman WASHINGTON (April 24, 2012) - Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), the Ranking Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee, today asked the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct its first review of the government's coal leasing program since 1994. Rep. Markey's request comes as U.S. coal companies lay the groundwork to ship hundreds of millions of tons of federally leased coa… Continue Reading
04.20.12
Markey Quizzes FDA, NOAA on Seafood Safety on 2nd Anniv. of BP Spill
Recent Reports from Gulf Indicate Genetic Defects in Seafood; Gov’t Monitoring, Analysis of Safety May be Inadequate WASHINGTON (April 20, 2012) - Two years after the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history began, the effects are still being felt today. Marshes are still oiled. Businesses are still recovering. And in particular, the safety of Gulf seafood is still a concerning issue and in need of constant monitoring and analysis. Responding to the concern about Gulf seafood and the need t… Continue Reading
04.19.12
House Democrats Call for Action Cleaning Abandoned Uranium Mines on Navajo Nation Land
WASHINGTON (April 19, 2012) - Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) joined six House Democrats calling for “urgent action” to clean up hundreds of abandoned uranium mines that pose extreme public health risks to residents of the Navajo Nation Reservation, in letters Thursday to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Energy (DOE) and Indian Health Service (IHS). Reps. Ben Ray Lujan and Martin Heinrich of New Mexico; Ed Pastor and Raul Grijalva of Arizona; Jared Polis (D-Colo.) and Dale Kilde… Continue Reading
04.18.12
Markey: EPA’s New Fracking Safeguards Won’t Let Natural Gas Industry Escape Regulation
Congressman Has Pushed for More Oversight of Natural Gas Drilling WASHINGTON (April 18, 2012) - Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) today praised the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for their new rules that would clean up natural gas drilling practices. Rep. Markey, the Ranking Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee, has pushed the natural gas industry to improve their drilling safety performance, including reducing the release of pollution that harms our air and climate. In February of t… Continue Reading
04.17.12
Markey Praises Obama’s Crackdown on Wall Street Speculators
Markey Praises Obama's Crackdown on Wall Street Speculators 'Crude Oil Casino' Driving Up Prices for American Drivers WASHINGTON (April 17, 2012) - Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), who has recently pushed for full funding and authority for the cops policing Wall Street speculators, praised President Obama today for his tough proposals to crack down on the manipulation of the marketplace, especially in crude oil. Wall Street speculators have used tensions with Iran to drive up oil prices, even as supp… Continue Reading
04.17.12
BP Spill Commission Report Card Highlights Need for Markey Safety Legislation
Republicans in Congress Have Blocked Reforms WASHINGTON (April 17, 2012) -- Nearly two years after the start of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the independent BP Spill Commission today released a report card on the actions that have been taken -- and not taken -- to implement the Commission recommendations. The report card, which notes that that Congress has not yet enacted any legislation to respond to the explosion and spill, highlights the need for passage of legislation authored by… Continue Reading
04.16.12
Markey: Sabine LNG Export Facility Approval Would Help Export U.S. Manufacturing Jobs
Markey: Sabine LNG Export Facility Approval Would Help Export U.S. Manufacturing Jobs WASHINGTON (April 16, 2012) -- Following the approval of a new natural gas export facility in Louisiana by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) continued to express deep concern over the trend towards the wholesale export of America's natural gas. This export tax will increase electricity and heating prices for American consumers and threaten the steel, plastics, fertilizer an… Continue Reading
04.13.12
As Iranian Talks Begin, Markey, 50+ Dems Press Obama to Keep SPR Option Open
As Iranian Talks Begin, Markey, 50+ Dems Press Obama to Keep SPR Option Open Oil, Gas Prices Still High; SPR Provides Leverage against Wall Street Speculators, Iranian Leaders WASHINGTON (April 13, 2012) - With international talks set to begin today with Iran related to Tehran's attempts to produce nuclear weapons, Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and more than 50 of his House Democratic colleagues are pressing President Obama to keep the option open to aggressively deploy the Strategic Petroleum Rese… Continue Reading
04.11.12
Markey: Obama Tribal Trust Settlements Resolve Historical Mismanagement of Tribal Resources, Lands
Markey: Obama Tribal Trust Settlements Resolve Historical Mismanagement of Tribal Resources, Lands WASHINGTON (April 11, 2012) - The Obama administration has helped to right historical wrongs with dozens of tribes by settling cases over government mismanagement of tribal resources and lands, Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) said today. Rep. Markey, who is the top Democrat on the Natural Resources Committee, released the following statement about the $1 billion settlement between the U.S. government and… Continue Reading
04.06.12
Markey to Boehner, Upton, Stearns on DOE Clean Energy Report: HERE ARE THE JOBS
Markey to Boehner, Upton, Stearns on DOE Clean Energy Report: HERE ARE THE JOBS New Report Shows Success of Clean Energy Incentives; Republicans Protecting Oil Company Subsidies While Supporting Tax Increases on Wind Energy WASHINGTON (April 6, 2012) - Following the release of a report by the Department of Energy that shows a renewable energy incentive program created tens of thousands of jobs, Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) challenged Speaker Boehner and other Republicans to support the development… Continue Reading
04.06.12
Colorado’s Galuchie Gulch Wildfire Highlights Irresponsible Republican Bill
Colorado's Galuchie Gulch Wildfire Highlights Irresponsible Republican Bill Recreational Shooting Reportedly Sparked Fire During Dry Season; Republican Bill Would Hamstring Local Rangers to Restrict Shooting When Fire Risk High WASHINGTON (April 6, 2012) - The recent Galuchie Gulch fire in Colorado was reportedly caused by recreational shooting activities during a particularly dry season, according to the Forest Service. Meanwhile, House Republicans are pushing through Congress a bill that wou… Continue Reading
04.01.12
Markey Commemorates 5-Year Anniversary of Massachusetts v. EPA
Landmark Case -- Combined with Congressional Action -- Will Reduce U.S. Carbon Emissions WASHINGTON (April 1, 2012) Tomorrow marks the five year anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court decision in Massachusetts vs. EPA that gave the agency the authority to regulate heat-trapping emissions. Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) today said that this case, combined with action by Congress, has enabled the United States to set policies that will reduce emissions, develop better energy technologies, and reduce… Continue Reading
03.30.12
Markey, Wyden to CFTC: Are Commodity Investment Funds Skewing Oil Market?
Markey, Wyden to CFTC: Are Commodity Investment Funds Skewing Oil Market? Democrats Say New Rule Needed to Restrict Oil Index Funds WASHINGTON (March 30, 2012) - Two Democratic lawmakers today asked the government agency tasked with regulating the nation’s commodities markets -- which includes crude oil futures and other derivatives trading -- to investigate whether commodities index funds are artificially inflating the price of oil. The letter, written by Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Sen. Ro… Continue Reading
03.30.12
Markey Asks DOI If North Sea Gas Leak Could Happen Here
WASHINGTON (March 30, 2012) - Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) today sent a letter to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar asking whether his department has looked into an ongoing gas leak at a North Sea drilling platform and whether sufficient protections are in place to prevent a similar incident in U.S. waters. The letter to Interior comes on the same day that Rep. Markey and Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.) released a report by the Government Accountability Office showing that while some improvements have… Continue Reading
03.29.12
Markey, Holt, Owens Introduce Bill to Keep America’s Oil, Fuel in America
Markey, Holt, Owens Introduce Bill to Keep America’s Oil, Fuel in America WASHINGTON (March 29, 2012) - Looking to stem the tide of America’s oil and fuels that are being sent abroad at a time of high gas prices and high domestic production, three House Democrats today introduced legislation that would end the exportation of oil extracted from taxpayer-owned lands, and the exportation of refined fuels like gasoline produced from America’s oil. Reps. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Rush Holt (D-N.J.) an… Continue Reading