Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, I rise to offer an amendment to H.R. 21 that would prohibit the SPR plan from including oil and gas leasing within the ecologically critical Big Cypress National Preserve. Established in 1974 as one of the first national preserves, Big Cypress is a unique and fragile ecosystem that spans 720,000 south Florida acres and hosts an array of plant and animal life. It is also an important cultural site for the Miccosukee and Seminole Tribes of Florida. Opening this area to oil and gas drilling would not only be environmentally destructive, it would also threaten the livelihoods of the people who depend on it for hunting, fishing, and tourism. We know that drilling causes pollution and habitat destruction. Just a few years ago, Big Oil speculators hauled in massive trucks weighing 33 tons and used low-frequency vibrations to look for oil. They left deep ruts in the swamp and plowed over dwarf cypress trees that had survived for more than 200 years. In pure economic terms, this vast sensitive swampland is essential to the health of the neighboring Everglades, which is vital in providing clean drinking water to millions of Floridians. The solution here is to protect this national treasure by banning the SPR plan from including oil and gas drilling in Big Cypress in perpetuity. Just don't take my word for it, Mr. Chairman. Mr.…”