Sen. Landrieu Votes 'Present' on Interior Secretary Nomination
Sen. Landrieu Votes 'Present' on Interior Secretary Nomination
Continues to Hold Nomination until Administration "Takes a Stand" for Revenue Sharing
May 10, 2006
United States Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., voted 'Present' today on sending President Bush's nomination for Secretary of Interior, Gov. Dirk Kempthorne, R-Idaho, to the full Senate for consideration. Sen. Landrieu, who was the only member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources not to vote in favor of moving the nomination forward, has made her support contingent on the Administration lifting its opposition to a revenue sharing plan for coastal energy producing states.
"I am voting present today because of the administration's continued inaction regarding a serious injustice to the hardworking people of Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, and Alabama," Sen. Landrieu said to the committee shortly before her vote. "In the days ahead, I will continue to work with my colleagues and the Administration to find a solution to this injustice."
Last week, as part of Gov. Kempthorne's testimony before the Energy Committee, Sen. Landrieu asked about his commitment to her revenue sharing plan, which would allow coastal producing states to keep their fair share of royalties from offshore drilling and to use that money for coastal restoration and hurricane protection. Kempthorne then replied that, as a Governor of a landlocked state, he still had a great deal of research left to do on offshore issues and "look(s) forward to learning more."
"The people of Louisiana have been providing America's energy since the 1940s and we are happy to continue, but we cannot do so under these unfair conditions," Sen. Landrieu said today. "We must receive our fair share of revenue so that we can fully protect America's wetlands and the national infrastructure they serve.
"My vote today is in no way against Gov. Kempthorne, who is an outstanding nominee; instead, my vote today is to show how serious we are about resolving this issue now."
Sen. Landrieu first placed a hold on the nomination last month saying that it will not be lifted until "the administration takes a stand in favor of offshore revenue sharing, which is essential if we are ever going to reach a comprehensive levee, flood control and coastal restoration solution."
http://landrieu.senate.gov/hurricanes/interiorsec.cfm