On the recordApril 18, 2012
2 years ago this Friday, the Deepwater Horizon explosion took the lives of 11 Americans, including four Mississippians, and caused an oil spill of epic proportions. For 86 days, millions of barrels of oil gushed into the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, washed up on gulf coast beaches, and threatened the ecosystems and the economic stability of an entire region of the country. The images of oil gushing into the Gulf of Mexico, wildlife coated in crude, and tar balls washing up on beaches have long vanished from the national media spotlight, but the spill left lasting effects on the lives of gulf coast residents and businesses. I ask my colleagues to take a moment this week to pause to remember the lives lost and the millions affected by this tragedy. I urge them to show their support once more to all those affected by the single largest manmade disaster in our history by voting ``yes'' for today's bill. Restoring and replenishing the gulf coast is more than just a responsible decision; it's the right thing to do. ____________________
