by Rep. Gregg Harper (MS)
For nearly two months, oil has been flowing into the Gulf of Mexico from the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon rig, affecting not only Gulf Coast states’ environments but their economies as well. BP and the federal government have been working to stop the stream of oil and to minimize the environmental impact of the spill. Tens of thousands of people have been enlisted to help with clean-up efforts along the Gulf Coast, and I am hopeful that this situation will be resolved soon and with minimal negative impact.
I am also hopeful that the Obama Administration will re-think the six-month moratorium that has been placed on deepwater offshore drilling. The last thing that the federal government needs to do in this time of disaster is to create another disaster by putting tens of thousands of folks out of work, and this is exactly what the drilling moratorium will do. Since the moratorium’s enactment on May 30, 2010, I have been hearing from my constituents about how halting deepwater offshore drilling will negatively impact not only them but their families, friends and coworkers. During this time of economic uncertainty, I do not believe that our country can afford to put more jobs in jeopardy by continuing this ill-advised policy.
My prayers continue to be with those who lost loved ones in the explosion on Deepwater Horizon and those whose lives have been impacted by the oil. I hope for success in controlling and stopping the leak, that damage to our shores will be minimized, and that we get to the bottom of what happened on April 20th so that we can resume the act of deepwater drilling as a means of providing for our national energy needs and the employment of hard-working Americans.