Ed Markey

This is not about the Obama Administration slow walking permits. This is about oil company recklessness.

There is not a 'de facto moratorium,' only a Republican moratorium on the facts.

This hearing is apparently taking place in a parallel universe where we did not suffer the worst oil spill in our nation's history last year...

The fact is that domestic oil production has been increasing overall, and in the Gulf of Mexico under the Obama Administration.

The fact is that the Obama Administration is issuing new permits in both shallow water and deepwater.

I also intend to take legislative action to reverse President Obama's imposition of an offshore drilling moratorium outside the Gulf of Mexico.

Let me state very clearly that these hearings will lead to action by this Committee.

The Obama Administration's actions have already caused production in the Gulf of Mexico to decline by nearly 300,000 barrels of oil per day.

This Committee should be taking action to implement the reforms of the Commission to ensure that we are protecting our workers, our environment and our economy.

Are we going to learn anything from the BP disaster? Is this Committee going to do anything to prevent such an accident from happening again?

This is not about the Obama Administration's slow walking permits. This is about oil company recklessness...

These companies aren't creating new jobs even as production is increasing, and they are making those record profits.

The Obama Administration admits their actions are making us more reliant on foreign countries.

Markey, Hon. Edward, a Representative in Congress from the State of Massachusetts.

Do you agree that this legislation will dramatically increase our dependence on foreign oil because it prevents EPA from taking actions to reduce oil use from cars, trucks, planes, boats, trains, construction equipment, or large industrial…

Do you agree that the views of these heroes that the legislation undermines EPA's regulatory authority that is critical to reducing the clear and present danger to the security and welfare of the United States that our oil dependence…

What reforms are you putting in place to ensure that American taxpayers receive the billions of dollars which they are owed by the oil industry?

I think the public really wants this to be resolved in a way in which the water which people are drinking is not contaminated by those processes.

Are you examining the manner in which drilling wastes are being managed on Federal lands and ensuring that similar problems do not exist there?

Would you support congressional action to establish a fee on nonproducing oil and gas leases?

The most immediate thing that can be done is to deploy the strategic petroleum reserve.

I particularly appreciate your commitment to renewable energy.

It's as if the oil and gas industry first asked for dessert, then ate 1/4th of their dinner, and then complained to the manager about the service.

On climate change and endangered species, there are those who prefer to deny reality and ignore the warning signs of melting polar ice, crop killing droughts and deadly floods.

These efforts recognize that we can't just drill our way out of our dependence on foreign oil.