Sheldon Whitehouse actually said...

"I strongly suspect that MMS had long since been captured by the oil industry and that it had ceased to serve the public interest."

"Meaningful civil and criminal fines and damages are one crucial tool for ensuring that a corporation takes proper precautions to avoid tragic errors."

"Congress must do whatever it can to prevent another family from having to hear that their loved one has perished on an oil rig."

"I think it is a promising area and one certainly that merits our inquiry and exploration."