WASHINGTON - House Republicans passed their sixth massive drilling package this Congress, offering yet another giveaway to the biggest, most profitable corporations in the world. The latest Republican drill-only bill would open up nearly all of America’s coastline to drilling without putting a single new safety measure in place following the BP spill.
Every House Republican also rejected a Democratic proposal offered by Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.) to require that any company seeking to gain new taxpayer-owned areas for drilling would have to abide by economic sanctions against Iran and Syria (see http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2012/roll510.xml).
Shortly after the vote, House Natural Resources Democrats released a report on this continuing pattern of Republicans siding with foreign special interests over America’s foreign policy agenda. That report can be found HERE.
Republicans also voted down several amendments offered by Democrats, including:
--Amendments by Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) to require that natural gas produced on American public lands would stay in the United States to benefit American consumers, and that companies looking for new drilling leases would have to abide by stronger safety standards learned from the BP spill.
--Amendments by Rep. Rush Holt (D-N.J.) to restore environmental review provisions and end free drilling in the Gulf of Mexico that is costing American taxpayers tens of billions of dollars in lost revenue.
“With the nation crippled by drought and in need of a farm bill, and our middle class waiting to see if Republicans will increase their taxes, Republicans got back to their most important priority, voting for nearly the 150th time on the House floor to benefit oil and gas companies this Congress," said Rep. Markey, the top Democrat on the Natural Resources Committee. “By voting to allow foreign oil companies to access the American public’s offshore lands for drilling even if those companies violate economic sanctions against Iran and Syria, House Republicans are voting to put foreign special interests ahead of American’s national interests."
