Political Quotes

“My straightforward amendment would prohibit any effort to redirect funds allocated under the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act, also referred to as GOMESA. GOMESA was passed in 2006 and created a revenue sharing agreement for offshore oil revenue between the Federal Government and four States in the Gulf of Mexico: Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and my home State of Alabama. Under GOMESA, 37.5 percent of the revenues generated from selected oil and gas lease sales in the Outer Continental Shelf of the Gulf of Mexico is returned to these Gulf States. There is a reason the law was structured this way. These Gulf States not only provide the lion's share of the infrastructure and workforce for the industry in the Gulf of Mexico; we also have inherent environmental and economic risks. The BP oil spill 5 years ago should tell us all what that means. Unfortunately, Mr. Chairman, in his budget proposal this year, President Obama has recommended that the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, under the Department of the Interior, redirect the distribution of expanded revenue payments expected to start in 2018 for the Gulf of Mexico oil and gas leases away from the Gulf Coast and instead be spent all around the country.…”