WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman Fred Upton (R-MI), chairman of the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following statement today after the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling released its final report :
“With rising energy prices and growing global demand, the last thing America can afford is to lock away our own resources and increase our dependence on foreign sources of energy. Our goal must be an “˜all of the above’ strategy that safely and responsibly develops American-made energy.
“The Commission’s report is one of several investigations into the Deepwater Horizon spill, and its findings will be among those considered as we work to prevent this type of disaster from ever being repeated. That’s why it is disappointing that, even after completing its final report, the commission has left unanswered the fundamental question of what went wrong. Rather than clearly identifying the root cause of this unprecedented disaster, the commission’s report is limited to general assertions about the enforcement agencies and industry as a whole.
“Neither this nor any investigation should be used as political justification for a pre-determined agenda to limit affordable energy options for America. Without clear and specific evidence of what went wrong with this isolated well, unlike the tens of thousands that have never experienced similar failures, we will not learn the lessons needed to ensure a disaster like this will never happen again. It would be a mistake to conclude that our only path forward is to cede our energy future to foreign corporations and governments who do not share our commitment to safe, responsible resource development."
