On the recordJuly 15, 2010
The answer is none. Maybe the big guys can, but most companies cannot. So at a time when we have almost 10 percent unemployment, people are desperately looking for work, here we have a White House policy that puts at risk 150,000 good-paying American jobs or more that will impact every State in the Nation. By the way, Congressman Culberson, there have been studies that talk about what the impact is in various areas. If you think about it, the average salary in the Gulf of Mexico for petroleum-related workers is almost $118,000, average annual salary. Some of those are roughnecks, those who may not even have a high school education, who are getting $70,000, $80,000 salaries. It is a tough job. It is hard work. But it not only produces fuel to drive America's prosperity, but it gives them an opportunity to raise their family, to live the American dream, to put their kids through college, to own their own home. Those jobs are now at risk. And who is fighting for them? It seems to me the White House, so far, and I hope it changes, has a deaf ear to these American workers. These are U.S. energy workers. There are more than 2 million of them around America. But with this moratorium, as the rigs leave, as the jobs go, as our vendors and small businesses go as well, many of those are not coming back for years.
