Strategic Production Response Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. PEREZ. Mr. Chair, I thank Representative DelBene for the opportunity to speak on this amendment.

The health of my district's economy depends on a clean Pacific Coast and ocean ecosystem.

My district is actually home to one of the most fishing-dependent communities in the entire country--Pacific County.

Preventing offshore drilling not only protects the environment, it also protects the economies of the communities where people work for a living.

We cannot bankrupt our long-term environmental quality for a one-off oil jackpot.

That is why I support this amendment that prevents offshore drilling.

Mr. Chairman, I thank Representatives Kilmer and DelBene for their work on this critical issue, and I urge my colleagues to support the amendment.

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Ms. PEREZ. 79.

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Ms. PEREZ. Mr. Chair, I rise to offer an amendment prohibiting oil and gas leasing on any tract of the Washington-Oregon Planning Area, where leasing would negatively impact coastal fisheries.

The health of our economies depends on a clean Pacific. Washington generates over $8.5 billion of revenue in fisheries and seafood processing a year. My district is home to one of the most fishing- dependent communities in the entire U.S.

Pacific County is home to the largest shellfish-producing community on the entire West Coast. Pacific County produces almost 50 million pounds of shellfish a year. That is 600 jobs and over $10 million of value.

The towns of Ilwaco and Chinook support over 200 fishing vessels. That is 1,300 jobs, generating 21 million pounds of fish and shellfish and $25 million of personal income. To be clear, this is critical to the economies of our coastal communities.

The Strategic Petroleum Reserve will continue to be a critical part of our national security infrastructure, and oil and gas will continue to be part of our energy economy for a long time, but we can't sacrifice our rural economies for a one-off jackpot in oil.

I am proud to offer this amendment to protect coastal fisheries and the communities they support, and I am glad to stand up for people who work for a living. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

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Ms. PEREZ. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

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