Barbara Lee: “Yes, Congressman Garamendi, we did experience a devastating oil spill 3 years ago, and that's why many of us know from…”

“Yes, Congressman Garamendi, we did experience a devastating oil spill 3 years ago, and that's why many of us know from personal experience and from a history of trying to find a way to help our country become energy independent and end this addiction of oil. We have worked on this issue for many, many years. So I am very pleased that you've taken the lead in sponsoring a bill, which I am proud to cosponsor, H.R. 5213, which would really create a ban, mind you. We need more than moratorium. We need a ban on offshore oil and natural gas drilling from platforms in Federal waters, particularly near California, Oregon, and Washington, which your bill addresses. I think what we have seen in the Gulf really explains why we're doing this, first of all, on the West Coast, but this needs to be done nationwide. The fact is, offshore drilling poses too great a risk to our coastal communities, economies, and our ecosystem.”