Mary Landrieu

BP was not under any legal obligation to set up any fund of relief for rig workers put out of work because of the moratorium.

We welcome the opportunity to continue to work together with BP and the Gulf Coast Restoration Organization.

So of the $10 million that went to you, only $650,000 went for----

And was that agreed to between SAMHSA and the States, that you all would do all of the identification and reporting so that they could use 100 percent of their money for treatment?

We do need--I know you postponed some things, but this February 2 announcement, of course, is an important one.

But do these employees in some of these law firms that have been, although they are not there for legal purposes but for advocacy purposes, do they have access to the database?

This is a real problem.

So you are testifying that denial letters or letters accompanying reduced award amounts include detailed explanations, because that is not our understanding.

But just to be clear, anyone at any amount can appeal to the Coast Guard.

That is an excellent question, and first of all, thank you for your testimony, Mr. Nguyen. We really appreciate it.

Thank you, Senator Landrieu, for calling this hearing and special thanks for your staff for inviting me today.

We have paid out in the last 5 weeks about 85,000 quick payments totaling almost $700 million.

We have had eight straight months of increasing unemployment. That is a direct result of the drilling moratorium.

The damages caused by the oil spill could last years.

Wrap up, if you can.

Congress needs to swiftly address the allocation of the Clean Water Act fines from the BP oil spill.

Economically, the Gulf Coast continues to be hit hard by all of this, and it is not the spill directly, it is the de facto moratorium which continues.

Thank you, Senator Landrieu, for your leadership in bringing this human side of this tragedy to the forefront once again.

We should pay subsistence claims, fund food banks, and streamline the Food Stamp application to the two-page Disaster Food Stamp Form to alleviate food insecurity.

It has been 9 months since the oil spill. Fifty-seven percent of claims in my State of Alabama remain unpaid.

In the 5 months that BP managed this claims process... they only distributed $359 million Gulf-wide.

Each State should have the ability to use these funds how they see fit to restore the economic and ecological damage caused by the spill.

And as you all know, we are drafting a piece of legislation to address some of these issues for future events.

I would encourage you to live up to your public statements that you are going to make the region whole.

I am aware and have been for months, and it is part of why we wanted you all to come.