DeLauro Stands Up Against Big Oil, Fights for Gulf Residents and Environment
Washington, DC— Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (CT-3) voted today for the CLEAR Act, which will hold BP responsible for the tragedy in the Gulf of Mexico, work to prevent future spills, and help to protect our vulnerable coastal communities. By creating new safety measures, holding the oil industry responsible for the cleanup costs of the BP spill, and strengthening oversight of oil drilling, this legislation will rebuild our fragile Gulf's waters and restore the economies of so many that depend on it. This builds on legislation already passed by the House of Representatives to toughen oversight of BP and other oil companies, ensure that the families of those killed or injured as a result of the BP spill are compensated fairly, to guarantee aid to the Gulf and develop new technologies to prevent oil spills.
"I am proud to stand up to the Big Oil companies today and to hold BP accountable for the disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. While the full extent of the damage will not be known for years, the impact on our coastal environments and those who depend on them for a living is already too much to bear. We must help the Gulf Coast recover from this devastating blow, and work to protect our water and livelihoods. This legislation ensures that oil companies are held to a higher standard of safety and responsibility and is critical to ensuring that we never face another disaster like this.
"This disaster emphasizes that our future does not lie in increased drilling activities, but in clean energy. I have consistently supported policies that will reduce our dangerous dependence on foreign oil and move our country towards a future of clean, American energy, and worked with groups such as Hands Across the Sand and Save the Sound to raise awareness and push for change. As we have seen in the tragedy continuing to unfold in the Gulf, the stakes are too high not to act. I look forward to the positive changes this legislation will bring as we move towards a clean energy future."