John Rutherford: “I thank my colleague from south Florida for, as was mentioned earlier, having the courage to stand up for our State and…”

“I thank my colleague from south Florida for, as was mentioned earlier, having the courage to stand up for our State and protect it from the scourge of drilling. I have to tell you, just last November, Mr. Chair, 69 percent of Florida voters supported banning drilling in the State waters off of Florida's coast. It is no secret that our Florida beaches and our oceans drive our economy. Drilling could affect not only our beautiful beaches and thriving tourism but, also, our national security. I have met with Department of Defense officials multiple times, and they have continued to share serious concerns about how offshore drilling activities could impact their operations. The eastern Gulf is a vital training ground for our military, and on Florida's Atlantic Coast that I share with my colleague, we are home to Mayport, NAS Jax, and Kings Bay, just to name a few. Mr. Chair, this important amendment will protect our coast, our economies, and our national defense. For all these reasons, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. The Acting CHAIR. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.”