Legislation to dedicate the funds and establish a council to administer them has seemed, to me at least, stalled in Congress.

The impacts of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill come, as I mentioned, on top of longer-term degradation of important habitats and resources of the Northern Gulf of Mexico.

I think I represent all Gulf States in saying that we strongly support the recommendations of the National Oil Spill Commission.

It remains appropriate that at least 80 percent of those fines levied on BP go toward restoring the Gulf.

I guess that is my question in all of this, and I don't mean to interrupt, but to get to the heart of it, you need some baseline.

Our citizens have already been victimized. Our economy has been victimized.

I really don't think it will be helpful to mandate removing, in many cases, premier fish habitats.

The incident also resulted in the largest oil spill in history, period; an incident that pummeled the Gulf Coast and left significant environmental and economic damage, which is an ongoing challenge.

Thank you both for your work.

The idea that investment in restoration could take upwards of a decade is really unacceptable.

Is any of that work being done in this context helpful in terms of the broader NOAA stock assessment responsibility?

I ask unanimous consent that Senator Barrasso be added as a cosponsor. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The Senator from Maine is recognized.

I would like to close on my czar amendment and encourage strong bipartisan support. Mr. President, we have a bill before us about the Senate advice and consent process--the Senate confirmation process--and I think it would be a tragedy to…

I thank Senators Paul and Heller and Grassley for cosponsoring this amendment, which is about czars--this administration, any administration, usurping the appropriate role and authority of the Senate in the advice and consent process. This…

I call up and would make pending amendment No. 499, which is part of the agreement in terms of the debate on this bill. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report. The assistant legislative clerk read as follows: The Senator from…

I ask unanimous consent the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Amendment No. 499

As far as mercury and the other pollutants, I believe coal plants should get rid of mercury up to 90 percent.

Finally, on the Boiler MACT provision, I think that rule belongs on another planet somewhere. It is completely unrealistic.

American Electric Power announced that they would be forced to close nearly 6,000 megawatts of low cost coal-powered energy.

the Obama EPA has moved forward in an unprecedented number of rules that will have enormous consequences on families and businesses and the Nation's fiscal well-being.

the Obama EPA is aggressively moving forward to regulate nearly all aspects of American life.

Would the NAS report have happened without the hold?

That is why I support the Tennessee Valley Authority's recent decision on coal, to either close its coal plants or put pollution control equipment on all of its plants by 2020.

the agency's voluntary reconsideration of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ground level ozone... could lead to significant economic constrains in the Country.

Every one of our 50 States has put out mercury advisories, warning pregnant women and children not to eat certain kinds of fish for fear of causing permanent neurological damage.