Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2007
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2007--Continued -- (House of Representatives - May 18, 2006)
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Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. I thank the gentlewoman, and I rise in support of the Putnam-Capps bipartisan amendment which strikes the Peterson language that would allow for drilling just 3 miles off our shoreline.
Members, let us put this in perspective. Imagine yourself on the west steps of the United States Capitol admiring the view of our Nation's Capitol, taking in the scenery and enjoying the environment. Now imagine yourself gazing towards the Kennedy Center, and just beyond the Kennedy Center, right there in the middle of the Potomac River, you see a big old oil rig. It is not quite as appealing any more, is it?
Now, I know that we are not going to be drilling for gas or oil in the Potomac River, but I paint this scenario for a reason. That distance from the Capitol to just beyond the Kennedy Center is the same distance that Mr. Peterson is proposing we place natural gas rigs off our Nation's beaches.
There are drastic and devastating environmental and economic repercussions that come with drilling into the ocean floor so close to our beaches, for my own State of Florida and for the rest of the Nation. For example, the uncontrollable discharges of mud, rock, and minerals that come with piercing a hole into our Earth would be devastating for our near-shore activities.
Now, for our colleagues that feel they need to vote for something, anything, to be able to say they are trying to address gas prices, I have a reminder: cars don't run on natural gas. People who are now paying upwards of $50 to fill their gas tanks, this amendment, if we leave it in place, will do nothing to change that. Gas prices will still be astronomically high.
And to address the issue of oil rigs off our shoreline put there by Cuba and China, do we want to emulate the actions of nations like Cuba and China? Do we want the Florida straits dotted with oil rigs? I think not, and I think most Americans would also agree.
I urge my colleagues to protect the coast of the United States and vote ``yes'' for the bipartisan Putnam-Capps amendment.
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