Press Releases
Markey, House Dems Push Obama on Strategic Petroleum Reserve
As Prices Rise, Deploying SPR Can Reduce Prices; Dems Show Broadening Support for Action WASHINGTON (April 12, 2011) - With gas prices approaching the all-time high per gallon in the United States, House Democrats are stepping up their efforts to deploy a small fraction of the nation's oil reserves to tamp down speculation and reduce prices for American families and small businesses. Today, Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) is leading an effort with Reps. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Rosa DeLauro (D-C… Continue Reading
04.06.11
Markey Statement on Republican Rejection of Markey Amendment to Dirty Air Act
WASHINGTON (April 6, 2011) - House Republicans today rejected an amendment authored by Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) that would preserve EPA's ability to increase the efficiency of cars, trucks, planes, trains and ships, thereby reducing our dependence on foreign oil. The amendment was made to the Upton Dirty Air Act that would overturn the scientific finding that dangerous carbon pollution is harming the planet and our people and would increase foreign oil imports. Following several failed v… Continue Reading
04.06.11
Markey: Republicans Vote for OPEC Wealth, Against American Public Health
WASHINGTON (April 7, 2011) - Last night, House Republicans voted down an amendment to the Upton Dirty Air Act that would have preserved EPA's ability to reduce American oil dependence. Today, House Republicans voted against a measure that would strip EPA of its ability to reduce dangerous carbon pollution. These votes stand as a testament to the Republican priorities of fealty to oil and coal company interests instead of their duty to protect American citizens, Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) asser… Continue Reading
04.05.11
Markey: House Republican Shutdown Would Close Parks, Threaten Oil Rig Safety
WASHINGTON (April 6, 2011) - Due to the potential House Republicans' forced government shutdown, for the first time since early 1996, America's national parks and Smithsonian museums may shutter this weekend, canceling plans for countless American families. Hundreds of oil rig inspectors could be sent home, threatening the safety of workers. And any permitting of new resource development would stop, turning a Republican-created moratorium myth into reality. These are just a few of the impacts t… Continue Reading
04.04.11
Democrats Introduce Bill to Close Free Drilling Loophole in Gulf of Mexico
WASHINGTON (April 5, 2011) - Several leading Democrats today introduced legislation that would close a loophole that allows dozens of oil companies to drill for free in the Gulf of Mexico. This loophole will cost American taxpayers $1.5 billion this year, and up to $53 billion over the next couple decades - the legislation today would instead take this lost revenue and direct it to the U.S. Treasury to help reduce the deficit. Similar legislative language was offered as an amendment to the first… Continue Reading
04.04.11
Markey, Napolitano, Garamendi to EPA: Salmon Aren't Pests
WASHINGTON (April 5, 2011) - Three years after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was given information by our nation's federal fish experts to protect endangered salmon from harmful pesticides, the agency has yet to take action to protect more than 20 species of salmon. Because of this inaction, today Reps. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), the top Democrat on the Natural Resources Committee, and Grace Napolitano (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Water and Power Subcommittee, and John Garamend… Continue Reading
04.04.11
Markey: GOP Budget Takes Energy Out of Department of Energy
WASHINGTON (April 5, 2011) - Under the 2012 budget proposal offered today by House Republicans, the energy and environment programs in the Department of Energy would be cut by 91 percent, while preserving tax breaks for oil companies. The Republican budget proposal would cut funding for energy and environment programs at the Department of Energy from $11 billion in 2011 down to $1 billion--of which about $700 million would have to be used for environmental programs, leaving only about $300 mill… Continue Reading
03.31.11
Reps. Markey, Johnson dig in on RARE Earth elements crucial to clean-energy, defense manufacturing
WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 31, 2011) - Representatives Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) introduced the Resource Assessment of Rare Earths (RARE) Act of 2011, which directs the United States Geological Survey (USGS) to conduct a three-year, comprehensive global mineral assessment of rare earth elements (REEs). Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA), Ranking Member on the House Natural Resources Committee, is the lead original cosponsor of the bill. Critical to high-tech clean-energy and defense m… Continue Reading
03.29.11
Markey Statement on Obama Energy Speech
WASHINGTON (March 30, 2011) - Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) issued the following statement in response to President Barack Obama's speech on energy policy. Rep. Markey is the top Democrat on the Natural Resources Committee, and authored the House fuel economy legislation in 2007, co-authored the Waxman-Markey clean energy and climate bill in 2009, and is author of the USE IT legislation of this year that would compel oil and gas companies to use the leases they already own: "Presiden… Continue Reading
03.28.11
Markey: New Interior Dept. Report on Unused Oil Leases Makes Case for "USE IT" Legislation
Report requested by President Obama shows oil industry is leaving leases fallow even while requesting more public land to drill. WASHINGTON (March 29, 2011) - A new report requested by President Obama and released by the Interior Department today shows that oil and gas companies are leaving millions of acres of public land and water unused, even as they claim they don't have enough to drill. The report makes the case for legislation already introduced by Reps. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Rush Holt … Continue Reading
03.28.11
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 bet… Continue Reading
03.27.11
Markey Queries Interior Dept. on Blowout Preventers, Outdated Spill Response Plans
WASHINGTON (March 28, 2011) - Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), the top Democrat on the Natural Resources Committee, today asked the Department of Interior to explain how it intends to address the recent finding that design faults in blowout preventers could cause widespread failure by the devices should a blowout occur. Rep. Markey also asked about the spill response plans for the six deepwater permits granted by the drilling agency, after the plan for the first drilling permit was reported by p… Continue Reading
03.27.11
Markey Joins Leading Nuclear Physicist, Children's Health Advocates Calling for 20-Mile Distribution of Potassium Iodide Near Nuclear Reactors in America
Bush, Obama Administrations Both Ignored 2002 Markey Law WASHINGTON (March 28, 2011) - On this day in 1979, the Three Mile Island nuclear accident began, highlighting the need to keep American families prepared for nuclear emergencies. The ongoing Fukushima nuclear meltdown in Japan now brings new urgency to implement a law passed in 2002, but ignored by two presidential administrations, to distribute radiation emergency pills to people living within 20 miles of a reactor here in the United Sta… Continue Reading
03.23.11
Markey Statement on NRC IG Report
WASHINGTON (March 24, 2011) - Responding to a report from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Inspector General's office stating that at least 24 defects in components of nuclear reactors that could cause a substantial safety hazard, as well as 11 additional defective components went unreported, Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), the top Democrat on the Natural Resources Committee and a senior member of the Energy and Commerce Committee issued the following statement: "This troubling study by the … Continue Reading
03.22.11
Markey on BP Spill BOP Report: Can Blowout Preventers Actually Prevent Blowouts?
WASHINGTON (March 23, 2011) - Following the release of the investigative report on the blowout preventer from the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill, Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) the top Democrat on the Natural Resources Committee, called into question the effectiveness of blowout preventers as a last line of defense against a major oil spill. The report, conducted by the Norwegian company Det Norske Veritas (DNV) for the Department of Interior and U.S. Coast Guard, says that multiple mechanisms… Continue Reading
03.16.11
Reps. Markey, Frank, Keating, Tierney Call on Obama Administration to Support Massachusetts Fishermen, Coastal Communities
WASHINGTON (March 17, 2011) - Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Malden), the top Democrat on the Natural Resources Committee, sent a letter with Reps. Barney Frank, Bill Keating, and John Tierney asking the Commerce Department to provide immediate assistance to Massachusetts fisherman in an effort to address negative economic impacts associated with the initial implementation of the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan. Despite recent increased overall revenues at Massachusetts ports, addi… Continue Reading
03.14.11
Markey Requests Big 5 Oil Company Execs. Testify Before Congress
WASHINGTON (March 15, 2011) - Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), the top Democrat on the Natural Resources Committee, today requested that the Chief Operating Officers from the top five oil companies appear before the committee to discuss their industry's updated safety and response efforts following the BP oil spill, and to answer questions on the fair use of America's public lands and waters for oil drilling. The request was made in a letter to Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (R-Wash.). "The Co… Continue Reading
03.10.11
President Obama Right to Prepare to Use SPR While Pushing for Clean Energy Future
WASHINGTON (March 11, 2011) - Speaking at a news conference today on the Japanese tsunami, the budget debate, and other issues, President Barack Obama continued to leave the option open to use the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in light of continued Middle East strife and potential harm to the U.S. economy. Reflecting the USE IT legislation offered last week by Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), the president also said he was encouraging his administration to look into the fact that oil companies are not pr… Continue Reading
03.09.11
Markey on Republican Gas Price Statements: It's O-PEC, Not O-bama
WASHINGTON (March 10, 2011) - Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) the top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee, today responded to statements from House Speaker John Boehner, Senator Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) and others that ignored or dismissed the notion that Middle East strife was to blame for higher gas prices, instead attacking President Obama. Domestic oil production last year under President Obama was the highest since 2003. "When it comes to high oil prices, this is about OPEC, not Obama. … Continue Reading
03.09.11
House Dems Introduce New Oil Reserve Legislation
Would Release Oil Now to Help Consumers, and Modernize Reserves WASHINGTON (March 10, 2011) - As unrest has spread in the Middle East, and gas prices continue to rise, House Democrats today introduced new legislation that would initiate a modest release of oil from the nation's oil reserves to temper prices in the short-term, and update the reserves to provide long-term security. The Enhanced Strategic Petroleum Reserve Act would direct the Department of Energy to release at least 30 million b… Continue Reading