On the recordJune 17, 2010
today I am joined by Senator Shaheen and Chairman Bingaman in introducing a bill to help prevent future disasters like the one we are seeing unfold in the Gulf of Mexico. Our bill focuses Federal oil and gas research and development funds on well safety and accident prevention. There are many lessons to be learned from this tragedy, but one of the most important is that we need more advanced technology to prevent future accidents and ensure the safety of our oil and gas workers. This oil spill has highlighted many problems with the operation of the oil and gas industry and the threat that accidents have to our families, economy and environment. While the industry has opened up new areas to oil and gas production, developments in safety and well control technology have not always kept pace. That is unacceptable. Eleven people lost their lives during this tragedy, and we do not yet know the full extent of the economic, health and environmental damage that will be caused by the spill. Unfortunately, out of control wells are not a unique circumstance.
