Emerson Responds to Obama on Deepwater Spill

Press Release

U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (MO-08) responded to President Obama's Tuesday night Oval Office address, saying that the president should not be using a crucial moment to advance a political agenda. Today is the 58th day of the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.

"Without question, there are more important things to think about than pushing new energy taxes from a cap-and-trade system through Congress," Emerson said. "The Deepwater spill is a national crisis being felt acutely by the thousands of families who rely on the Gulf for their livelihood -- everyone ought to set aside their political interests and pet projects. I don't think Congress, as a result of this spill, ought to be receptive to legislation that will implement taxes to raise the cost of every kind of energy used in our homes, vehicles and economy."

Emerson said she hopes support from Congress to investigate and prosecute the BP Deepwater incident will be contained in legislation free of unrelated, controversial provisions. Funding unrelated to the disaster was the cause of a cancelled Appropriations Committee hearing on May 27th during which emergency action was to be considered.

"I won't criticize the president's response to the oil spill, because I know it is a complicated situation that changes every day. Certainly things could have been done differently or sooner, but we have to start at this moment, when the White House says it is fully engaged, and focus on stopping the oil and protecting the Americans who live and work along the Gulf Coast. It's not a time to be worried about a political agenda, it's a time to contain the spill and to help the people who have been dramatically affected by this disaster."

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