I think because of the opportunity that the administration and the Congress have to influence the way things are done in the U.S., it does have international implications.

The commercial fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico harvested 1.27 million pounds of fish and shellfish, generated $659 million in revenue.

We owe a debt of gratitude to the people that work in this industry.

Will BP pay? ... if you're not found to be grossly negligent, is BP prepared to pay the full extent of real economic damage?

I believe that the right course is reducing our oil consumption by promoting safe and clean alternative energy while increasing our domestic production.

So you would say that the requirements that--and this committee has a great deal of responsibility in this regard as the oversight for Interior and MMS.

I intend to work with Senator Murkowski, the ranking member, and other members of the committee on a bipartisan basis.

I just have some documentation about the value of the Louisiana seafood industry, which is more than $3.4 billion.

We will also be looking to identify any problems or risks that might exist for operations that are ongoing.

Any constriction of domestic oil and gas production either onshore or offshore will only further put us in a perilous situation.

America must reduce its oil consumption, for national security, and yes, for environmental reasons.

Banning offshore drilling will not keep industry workers safe and it won't prevent our shores from the threat of an oil spill.

This oil spill could become our Nation's worst environmental disaster in decades.

Mr. Chairman, in this instance it may or may not have, but I do think that this committee has to give some focus to the merging of some of these companies and to the extent in which they operate to make sure that they have consistent…

Transporting larger quantities of oil from far away places will increase, not decrease, our risks.

I would like to see your Committee pass Senator Webb's bill, S. 354, this summer on paid parental leave.

Under your able leadership, Senator Akaka, S. 372, the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act is also ready for floor action.

I rise today, though, to speak on an equally serious subject--actually, a tragedy and disaster that is occurring right now off the coast of my home State, in Louisiana. On Tuesday, on April 20, as we all now know, at approximately 10 p.m…

I come to the floor today to pay tribute to a great civil rights leader of our Nation, a woman who was memorialized today at the National Cathedral here in Washington, DC. Of course, I am speaking of Dr. Dorothy Height, who was a…

So basically for almost $50 billion--$50 million--is it billion?

BP is being appropriately forward leaning in bringing all the resources to bear to control this spill.

Well, that is very good to know--my time is up--because we have a project that will meet those guidelines, as you know, and we are excited about the possibility.

I really think that this is something specific that we should look at.

Both Ranking Member Snowe and former Chairman of this Committee, Senator Kerry, have done a tremendous amount of work on broadband in the past.

I hope my colleagues on the Small Business Committee will join me as cosponsors of this bill.