Cassidy, Murkowski, Cornyn, Vitter, Cruz, Sessions, Wicker Vow To Protect GOMESA

Press Release

U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) led a letter with Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), John Cornyn (R-TX), David Vitter (R-LA), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Jeff Sessions (R-AL) and Roger Wicker (R-MS) to President Obama opposing his fiscal year 2016 budget proposal to deprive Gulf Coast states of revenue promised under the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA) of 2006. President Obama's proposal would redirect the distribution of revenue payments from Gulf Coast states. Senators also state they will work to bring equal treatment in revenue sharing among energy producing states.

"The federal government has taken more than $22 billion from oil and gas produced off our coasts in the past 3 years--in return we have received $4 million to share. This money needs to not only to be protected--but Louisiana and other Gulf State's share needs to be increased," said Sen. Cassidy.

"It's extremely important that we have a level of revenue sharing that fairly compensates coastal states that host energy production off their shores. The administration's attempt to deprive coastal states of that revenue is way off base," said Sen. Murkowski, chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. "Revenue sharing is vital to states that depend on this activity to provide the services and infrastructure that supports activities in adjacent federal waters. I'm confident that with the help of my colleagues we can stop the administration from robbing these states of revenue they deserve."

"The President's budget plan to redistribute offshore energy revenue is flat-out insulting to Louisianians. If anything, President Obama should want Louisiana to keep more of this revenue -- it's going to vital coastal restoration," Sen. Vitter said. "Our coasts are the first line of defense to a hurricane or tropical storm, and it's absolutely critical that we do everything in our power to protect and restore them."

"I will continue to oppose any attempt by the administration to raid Mississippi's energy revenues to help fund President Obama's big-government agenda," Sen. Wicker said. "This ill-conceived proposal could cost the state millions of dollars, to which Mississippi is entitled under the law. Working together with my colleagues from the Gulf Coast, I am optimistic that we will succeed in stopping this plan."

Dr. Cassidy presented the letter to U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell this week in the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies hearing on the FY 2016 budget.

Dr. Cassidy also questioned Secretary Jewell on the president's proposed budget last week.