Below is comment from Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), now the Ranking Member of the Natural Resources Committee, on the released Oil Spill Commission chapter:
"This report shows that the causes of this environmental disaster were systemic and that the underlying profits-over-safety pathology may be in temporary remission, but not fully cured.
"This report shows that this disaster was not inevitable, that it was preventable, and that new reforms are still needed before the industry can be deemed safe.
"This accident was caused by a cascading series of bad decisions, shortcuts and failures to heed any of the red flags that were instead ignored in favor of time-saving and cost-cutting measures.
"The same murky management that led to this disaster is now being mirrored in Washington, where Republicans have blocked the type of safety reforms this report says are so desperately needed to avoid another major accident, like those Democrats passed through the House last year."
