Political Quotes

“I hardly ever disagree with my ranking member on appropriations, but I do not think this amendment is about retaliation. I think it is about a real energy debate we need to have here on this floor. I agree, Florida probably does not want to become like Louisiana or Texas. I am worried that they want to become like California, where they do not want to produce. I am glad at least they want to pipeline sometimes, because that is not the case in California. Yet, when the price goes up, because our supplies are low, they want price caps and they complain about it. I am worried about this, that if we do not adopt this amendment, if Florida recognizes you need to produce your resources, we will see a California in the southeastern United States, and we will have the same problem in the southeastern United States as we do in California. We can produce. I have platforms offshore that are emitting zero pollution right now. Thirty years ago we did not have that; but today we have that, because we have different standards today. That can be done in the Gulf of Mexico, whether it is in Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, or Florida waters; and, frankly, it can be done off the coast of California. So I am glad to be here to enjoy this energy debate. And it is not about retaliation. I think it is about energy that we need to talk about on this floor.”