"it is much more dangerous to do this in the United States than it is to do it in Europe for the same companies."
"I do not think, sir, that oil companies are sending the rigs back just to idle. I do not think they are sending new rigs in just to idle."
"The Obama Administration is not issuing new leases. In fact, the lease sales that were scheduled for this year have in fact been canceled."
"Does that include implementing the safety recommendations of the BP Commission?"
"Given your job don't you think you should have looked at those safety record recommendations?"
"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."
"I also intend to take legislative action to reverse President Obama's imposition of an offshore drilling moratorium outside the Gulf of Mexico."
"They were absolutely irresponsible, and their irresponsibility is something that goes to their safety record."
"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."