Protecting Investment in Oil Shale the Next Generation of Environmental, Energy, and Resource Security Act

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. BISHOP of New York. I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Chairman, my amendment is very simple. It prohibits oil and natural gas lease sales off the coast of Northeast States, including New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine. Furthermore, my amendment is paid for by striking language in the bill related to Outer Continental Shelf revenue sharing in Section 17501.

I appreciate the Rules Committee making my amendment in order because this amendment will protect the coastline of New York and other Northeast States. I also thank my cosponsors, including Mr. Crowley, Mr. Rangel, Mr. Pascrell, Mr. Capuano, and Ms. Pingree.

Mr. Chairman, I represent the last 70 miles of eastern Long Island, where the primary industries are travel and tourism, everything to do with the second home market, agriculture, and the fishing industry. Thus, in my district, the environment is the economy in many respects. It can ill-afford a disaster like Gulf Coast States endured during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010. Oil-soaked beaches would devastate Long Island's economy, let alone the environment, and there is no reasonable person who can disagree with me on this point.

The Republican drilling proposals to offset the highway bill would raise less than $4.3 billion over 10 years, according to CBO, or less than one-tenth of the revenue actually needed.

Combine this with the other funding mechanisms for the highway bill, and Republicans are paying for their reckless legislation on the backs of middle class families. For example, the Republican spending package will require Federal employees to increase their pension contributions while reducing their benefits.

Worse, as of this moment, they are using Federal employees' pension contributions to offset costs in two completely separate proposals: the highway bill and the payroll tax cut package for unemployment benefits and the doc fix.

This isn't being honest with the American people. I would ask the Republican leadership to check their numbers again.

Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support my amendment and oppose the underlying bill.

I reserve the balance of my time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source