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YOUR POCK INTO THE POCKETS OF
THERE.
IT MAKES NO SENSE AT ALL AFTER
THE $150 BILLION WE GAVE THEM
SIX YEARS AGO.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM
LOUISIANA.
I WOULD REMIND THE
GENTLEMAN FROM MASSACHUSETTS,
THIS IS, IF YOU ARE AN
ENVIRONMENTALIST AND YOU WANT
TO HELP PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT
LIKE I KNOW THE GENTLEMAN FROM
MASSACHUSETTS SO DESPERATELY
WANTS TO DO, I'VE SERVED WITH
HIM IN COMMITTEE AND ENJOYED
HIS PASSION FOR TAKING CARE OF
THE ENVIRONMENT, THIS IS AN
ENVIRONMENTAL AMENDMENT.
THE CITIZENS OF -- THE CITIZENS
HAVE PASSED AN AMENDMENT TO
DEDICATE ALL PROCEEDS TO GO TO
COASTAL RESTORATION AND
HURRICANE PROTECTION.
THIS IS BUYING US AN INSURANCE
POLICY THAT THE OTHER 46 STATES
WHO I KNOW HAVE BEEN SO
GENEROUS TO HELP US WHEN
HURRICANES ATTACK -- RAH VG --
RAH VADGE OUR COAST.
I KNOW THE GENTLEMAN FROM
MASSACHUSETTS WOULD LOVE TO
HELP PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT IN
LOUISIANA.
WITH THAT, I YIELD BACK.
THE GENTLEMAN
YIELDS.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM
MASSACHUSETTS.
I THANK THE
GENTLEMAN AND YIELD MYSELF AS
MUCH TIME AS I MAY CONSUME.
I'D BE WILLING TO HAVE A
CONVERSATION WITH THE GENTLEMAN
FROM LOUISIANA ABOUT WHAT THE
PROPER WAY IS OF DEALING WITH
THE FUNDING FOR THE
PRESERVATION OF THE WETLANDS
AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTALLY
SENSITIVE AREAS DOWN IN THE
GULF OF MEXICO BUT THIS ISN'T
THE WAY TO DO IT.
THIS IS ANOTHER PERMANENT
ENTITLEMENT WE'RE BUILDING INTO
THE LAW IN THE HEARINGS IN
ORDER TO ENSURE THAT WHATEVER
EXPENDITURES ARE MADE ARE GOING
FOR THE INTENDED PURPOSE.
THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS DISCUSSION
IS HERE TONIGHT WITH A
FIVE-MINUTE AMENDMENT THAT
WE'RE DEBATING.
$6 BILLION WOULD COME CLOSE TO
SCRUTINY ABOUT A QUARTER PAST
NIGHT.
WITH THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO ARE
WATCHING, THEY REALLY NEED TO
GET A LIFE BECAUSE THAT'S ABOUT
THE LEVEL OF PUBLIC SCRUTINY
THIS IS GETTING RIGHT NOW.
I THINK THE $6 BILLION THE
GENTLEMAN IS SEEKING TO REQUEST
FROM THE PUBLIC HAS TO BE
DISPENSED IN A WAY THAT HAS A
BETTER PROCESS.
I OPPOSE THE GENTLEMAN'S
AMENDMENT, I UNDERSTAND HIS
INTENTION BUT FOR THE OTHER 46
STATES, I DON'T THINK IT'S A
GOOD IDEA AT THIS TIME, I
RESERVE THE BALANCE OF MY TIME.
THE GENTLEMAN
THE GENTLEMAN FROM
MASSACHUSETTS.
I YIELD BACK.
THE GENTLEMAN YIELDS.
THE QUESTION IS ON THE AMENDMENT
OFFERED BY THE GENTLEMAN FROM
LOUISIANA.
THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
THOSE OPPOSED, NO.
IN THE OPINION OF THE CHAIR, THE
AYES HAVE IT AND THE AMENDMENT
IS AGREED TO.
I REQUEST A RECORDED
VOTE.
PURSUANT TO CLAUSE 6,
RULE 18, FURTHER PROCEEDINGS ON
THE AMENDMENT OFFERED BY THE
GENTLEMAN FROM LOUISIANA WILL BE
POSTPONED.
IT IS IN ORDER TO CONSIDER
AMENDMENT NUMBER 17.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM VIRGINIA SEEK
RECOGNITION?
I HAVE AN AMENDMENT
AT THE DESK.
AMENDMENT NUMBER 17
PRINTED IN HOUSE REPORT 112-540
OFFERED BY MR. RIGELL OF
VIRGINIA.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM
VIRGINIA AND A MEMBER OPPOSED
WILL EACH CONTROL FIVE MINUTES.
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM VIRGINIA.
THIS IS A
JOB-CREATING AMENDMENT AND
REFLECTS THE WISDOM AND TRULY
THE WILL OF THE GOOD FOLKS OF
THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA AND
SPECIFICALLY WITHIN THE GREAT
DISTRICT THAT I HAVE THE
PRIVILEGE OF SERVING AND
REPRESENTING, THE 2ND
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT OF
VIRGINIA.
THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES OF THE
COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA HAVE
MADE IT CLEAR AND NEED TO MOVE
FORWARD WITH COASTAL VIRGINIA
ENERGY AND THE SAME IS TRUE OF
THE VIRGINIA SENATE.
AND JUST TODAY, WE RECEIVED A
LETTER OF STRONG SUPPORT FROM
GOVERNOR MCDONALD, OF WHICH I'M
GRATEFUL FOR HIS SUPPORT OF THIS
AMENDMENT.
IT HAS TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY TO
PUT FOLKS TO WORK.
IN THIS VERY CHAMBER, MR.
CHAIRMAN, I RECALL OUR
PRESIDENT, PRESIDENT OBAMA,
SAYING HE WAS AN ALL OF THE
ABOVE PRESIDENT AND I THINK I
WAS THE FIRST TO LEAP TO MY FEET
IN FULL SUPPORT.
WE HAVE FAILED THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE OVER THE LAST MANY
DECADES IN MOVING THIS COUNTRY
TOWARDS ENERGY INDEPENDENCE.
YET I'M UNABLE TO RECONCILE WHAT
HE IS SAYING WITH THE PAINFUL
REALITY IN VA 2.
THERE IS A FULL MORATORIUM ON
THE RESPONSIBLE EXPLORATION AND
HARVESTING OF VIRGINIA'S COASTAL
VIRGINIA ENERGY.
IN MY VIEW, MR. CHAIRMAN, THIS
CREATION.
IS A MUSCLE MORATORIUM ON JOB
AND THAT MEANS THERE IS A FULL
MORATORIUM ON THE TAX REVENUES
THAT WE NEED FOR HEALTHIER
SCHOOLS AND BETTER ROADS.
SO THIS AMENDMENT IS DIRECTED
RIGHT AT THAT, TO BREAK THROUGH
AND TO CREATE ACTION WHERE THERE
IS A FULL MORATORIUM.
THE WAY THE BILL WORKS, THE
AMENDMENT WORKS, IT REQUIRES THE
SECRETARY OF INTERIOR TO
ININCLUDE VIRGINIA IN THE
FIVE-YEAR OIL AND LEASING PLAN.
CONDUCT LEASE-SALE 220.
AND THE WORD THAT COMES TO MY
MIND IS DEFINITIVE ACTION.
AMERICAN PEOPLE
WANT AND WHAT THE FOLKS OF
VIRGINIA'S CONGRESSIONAL 2ND
DISTRICT WANT.
IT MOVES US AWAY TR DEPENDENCE
ON COUNTRIES FOR OIL, IN WHICH
THEY ARE OPPOSED TO US.
AND WE CAN DO THIS IN AN
ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE WAY.
WOULD THE GENTLEMAN YIELD?
I THINK THE
GENTLEMAN HAS A GOOD AMENDMENT
AND I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT
WHERE VIRGINIA HAS BEEN
SHORTCHANGED AND THIS ADVANCES
THAT DEBATE AND WHAT WE WANT IS
THE ACTION.
I SUPPORT THE GENTLEMAN'S
AMENDMENT AND I YIELD BACK.
I THANK THE CHAIRMAN
FOR HIS SUPPORT.
I URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO JOIN US
IN SUPPORTING THIS BILL.
THESE ARE LIFE-CHANGING JOBS.
THERE IS TREMENDOUS POTENTIAL
AND WE CAN DO THIS IN AN
ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE WAY
AND I RESERVE.
THE GENTLEMAN
RESERVES.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM MASSACHUSETTS
SEEK RECOGNITION?
I RISE IN OPPOSITION
TO THE AMENDMENT.
THE GENTLEMAN IS
RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.
THIS WOULD ASK THE
SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
INTERIOR TO CONDUCT STUDIES.
THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION
CANCELED THE PROPOSED LEASE
SALE.
THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THE
VIRGINIA LEASE SALE AREA
INFRINGES ON CRITICAL TRAINING
AREAS FOR THE NAVY.
THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT HAS
CONCLUDED OVER 78% OF THE LEAS
SALE AREA WOULD OCCUR IN AREAS
WHERE MILITARY OPERATIONS WOULD
BE IMPEDED BY DRILLING
ACTIVITIES.
STRUCTURES AND RELATED
THIS AREA IS HOME TO CRITICAL
MILITARY ACTIONS INCLUDING
TESTS, AIRCRAFT CARRIER
QUALIFICATIONS, UNDERSEA SURFACE
OPERATIONS AND SHIPBOARD
QUALIFICATION TESTS.
THE MILITARY'S ACTIVITIES IN
THIS AREA WOULD TORPEDO DRILLING
IN MOST OF THIS LAND.
OF THE REMAINING 22%, THE
MAJORITY OF THE UNRESTRICTED
WATERS AVAILABLE FOR LEASING
WOULD OCCUR IN THE MAIN SHIPPING
CHANNEL FOR NORFOLK AND THE
CHESAPEAKE BAY AS WELL AS THE
MAIN CHANNEL USED BY SUBMARINES.
IN THE END, THE GENTLEMAN COULD
ONLY COULD OCCUR IN 10% OF THE
AREA THAT THE MAJORITY IS
TALKING ABOUT OFF THE VIRGINIA
COAST WHEN THIS CONGRESS STILL
HAS NOT PASSED A SINGLE
LEGISLATIVE REFORM TO IMPROVE
THE SAFETY OF OFFSHORE DRILLING.
THIS DOES PRESIDENT SEEM LIKE
IT'S WORTH THE RISK.
WHILE SOME STATES MAY SUPPORT
OFFSHORE DRILLING, NEW JERSEY
AND MARYLAND OPPOSE IT ALONG
WITH MANY OTHER STATES.
THESE STATES' ECONOMY DEPEND ON
TOURISM THAT COME TO SEE
OIL-FREE BEACHES AND FISHING IN
THEIR WATERS AND WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT THEIR WATERS.
DRILLING OFF THE COAST OF
VIRGINIA COULD AFFECT MARYLAND,
NEW JERSEY AND MANY OTHER STATES
UP AND DOWN THE EAST COAST
BECAUSE OF OIL SPILLS, WHICH DO
NOT RESPECT STATE BOUNDARIES.
THIS CONGRESS HAS YET TO ENACT A
SAFETY REFORM FOLLOWING THE
DEEPWATER HORIZON DISASTER.
THE SPIGS COMMISSION GAVE
CONGRESS THE GRADE OF D ON ITS
LEGISLATIVE RESPONSE ON THE
WORST ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER
OFFSHORE AND ONLY REFRAINED FROM
HANDING OUT AN F AND THESE ARE
THE WORDS OF THE BP SPILL
COMMISSION, IT DID NOT WANT TO
INSULT THE WHOLE INSTITUTION.
THE GENTLEMAN'S AMENDMENT WOULD
IN DANGER.
THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE FOR
OUR COASTAL STATES.
THE RISKS ARE HIGHER THAN THE
SMALL BENEFITS WHICH CAN BE
DERIVED.
I URGE REJECTION OF THIS
AMENDMENT AND I YIELD BACK THE
REMAPEDER.
THE GENTLEMAN YIELDS
BACK THE BALANCE OF HIS TIME.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM VIRGINIA.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM
I YIELD BACK.
YIELDS.
THE QUESTION IS OFFERED ON THE
THE GENTLEMAN FROM OFFERED BY
THE GENTLEMAN FROM VIRGINIA.
THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
THOSE OPPOSED, NO.
IN THE OPINION OF THE CHAIR, THE
AYES HAVE IT AND THE AMENDMENT
IS AGREED TO.
A RECORDED VOTE IS REQUESTED.
PURSUANT TO CLAUSE 6, RULE 18,
FURTHER PROCEEDINGS ON THE
AMENDMENT OFFERED BY THE
GENTLEMAN FROM VIRGINIA WILL BE
POSTPONED.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM WASHINGTON SEEK
RECOGNITION.
I MOVE THAT THE
COMMITTEE DO NOW RISE.
THE QUESTION IS ON
THE COMMITTEE DO NOW RICE.
THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
THE AYES HAVE IT.
THOSE OPPOSED, NO.
THE MOTION IS ADOPTED.
ACCORDINGLY, THE COMMITTEE RISES
SFMENT THE COMMITTEE OF THE
WHOLE HOUSE ON THE STATE UNION
HAVING HAD UNDER CONSIDERATION
H.R. 4480 DIRECTS ME TO REPORT
IT HAS COME TO NO RESOLUTION
THEREON.
THE
COMMITTEE HAS HAD UNDER
CONSIDERATION H.R. 4480 AND HAS
COME TO NO RESOLUTION THEREON.
I ASK UNANIMOUS
CONSENT THAT WHEN THE HOUSE
ADJOURNS TODAY IT ADJOURNS TO
MEET AT 9:00 A.M. TOMORROW.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
MR. SPEAKER.
THE
CHAIR LAYS BEFORE THE HOUSE A
PERSONAL REQUEST.
LEAVES OF ABSENCE
REQUESTED FOR MR. BACHUS FOR
TODAY.
WASMEDE.
I ASK THAT THE
HOUSE DO NOW ADJOURN.
THE
QUESTION IS ON THE MOTION TO
ADJOURN.
THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
THOSE OPPOSED, NO.
THE AYES HAVE IT.
MOTION ADOPTED.