"the disaster as a whole was due to a rather staggering series of errors by the three companies"
"Now that we have it, it is time to take action to prevent big oil from wreaking havoc on our environment, and that is why I introduced the No New Drilling Act to prevent the expansion of offshore dril..."
"I believe very strongly that the farther you go out and the deeper you are, the more dangerous it becomes."
"Just to note here, BP had 760 OSHA fines--versus one for ExxonMobil--so we can understand that there is something fundamentally wrong here that a company like that was allowed to continue to operate."
"Only big oil will claim that they can drill safely and look to expand drilling in the wake of our country's worst environmental disaster and the finding of their systematic failures."
"What you have alluded to, both of you, is the fact that somewhere along the line, there is human error; something wasn't read."
"It is vital to our nation's energy future that we examine the causes of this tragedy with clear eyes, assess the lessons to be learned with open minds, and commit ourselves to fundamental reform with ..."
"If we are shortsighted and complacent, today's hearing will be an end. If we are visionary and engaged, today's hearing is only the beginning of having America have the safest and most productive oil ..."
"We, on this side of the aisle, look forward to a productive working relationship with you and with the majority, occasionally punctuated by knockdown drag-out fights over issues that we all care about..."
"This is not a time for half measures or tinkering around the edges; this is a time for bold reforms."
"While I applaud the Chairman for holding this hearing today, I am also deeply saddened that this hearing is necessary."