Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2020

Floor Speech

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Mr. CARBAJAL. Mr. Chair, I am offering an amendment to make it clear to the administration that we will not sit idly by as they attempt to open up our shores to further oil and gas development. We will not allow our treasured natural resources to be sold to Big Oil, and we will not put corporate profits above protecting our environment and our local coastal economies.

My amendment would put in place a moratorium on offshore oil and gas drilling and related activities in the four planning areas off the Pacific Outer Continental Shelf for fiscal year 2020.

My constituents on the central Coast have seen firsthand the devastating impacts of some of the largest oil spills in California history, like the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill. Most recently, the 2015 Plains All American oil spill in my district cost $92 million to clean up. These incidents show us that we cannot afford yet another disastrous oil spill.

In contrast, California's coastal region generates over $1.9 trillion of GDP and supports more than $731 billion in wages.

Future oil drilling would pose a direct threat to our local economies, businesses, and tourism, which are tied to our clean oceans and healthy ecosystem.

Since the 1969 oil spill in Santa Barbara, there has not been a new or expanded lease in California State waters, or one in Federal waters since 1984.

This policy has enjoyed support from both Republican and Democratic administrations. Yet this administration today seems tone deaf to this reality. Instead, they are asking to hold seven new lease sales in the four planning areas off the Pacific Outer Continental Shelf.

I urge passage of my amendment, which would protect nearly 650,000 jobs in our region.

Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Kilmer).

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Mr. CARBAJAL. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

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