Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, H.R. 205, the Protecting and Securing Florida's Coastline Act, would permanently protect the eastern Gulf of Mexico from oil and gas drilling. Nearly all of the eastern Gulf remains protected under a leasing moratorium until 2022 under the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006. This bill would permanently extend that moratorium and, in doing so, would safeguard Florida's marine resources, environment, and coastal tourism economy. Some of Florida's more valuable assets are tied to its beaches and its coastal ecosystems. These drive a tourism economy in Florida that brings in billions of dollars each year and supports over 1.4 million jobs. Over 2,000 Florida businesses, including restaurants, hotels, and outfitters, have expressed their strong support for permanently protecting the eastern Gulf because they know firsthand the economic consequences of an offshore oil spill. Following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster, Florida suffered a $7.6 billion loss in tourism revenue, and bookings for hotels and for- hire fishing trips dropped significantly. Even for places that were left unscathed, the perception of oil-covered shores was enough to redirect vacationing tourists to other coastal States. That is why voters in the Sunshine State, Democrats and Republicans alike, have made clear time and time again that offshore drilling has no place near Florida's shores.…”