David Jolly: “As a nation, we continually strive to achieve both energy independence, as well as protect the environment, our critical…”

“As a nation, we continually strive to achieve both energy independence, as well as protect the environment, our critical habitats, and the quality of life in communities like Pinellas County, Florida, that I have the opportunity to represent. One way we strike that balance is represented in how we currently manage the Gulf of Mexico when it comes to oil drilling. Under a 2006 act, we allow for drilling exploration in the central and western Gulf off the coast of Texas and Louisiana and other States, but we have a ban that protects the State of Florida. That ban currently protects the State of Florida with a drilling ban of about 125 miles or, in some cases, 235 miles. This ban has been in place for 32 years through the operations of the Appropriations Committee. And while the current statute allows for the ban through 2022, year after year, those on the other side of this debate, very respectfully, attempt to erode that ban. The truth is we don't need any additional drilling in the eastern Gulf of Florida to achieve energy independence. There are nearly 1,000 active leaseholds in the central and western Gulf. There are probably nearly 3,000 more available. And to change the ban is just something that we don't need. This amendment is very simple.…”