On the recordOctober 6, 2011
On April 20, 2010, America witnessed the worst man-made disaster in our Nation's history. Mississippi lost four of her native sons to the explosion; and, over the course of 3 months, nearly 5 million barrels of oil gushed into the Gulf of Mexico, causing extreme economic and environmental damage. Yesterday, the bipartisan RESTORE Act was introduced that will put the Gulf States on the right path to long-term recovery. The RESTORE Act will send 80 percent of the fines paid by BP to the areas that were most affected from this tragic event and will allow the Gulf States to invest funds in projects and programs designed to rehabilitate the region economically and environmentally. The act provides States with the flexibility to address their own unique and specific needs with transparency and accountability. Once BP is held accountable for its actions, it's only fair that those hardest hit will receive the relief they desperately need and deserve. I now urge my colleagues from across the country to do the right thing and support the bipartisan RESTORE Act. ____________________
