Republicans introduce bill to lift drilling moratorium

[jefferson_dem]

Republicans introduce bill to lift drilling moratorium
By Michael O'Brien - 06/15/10 01:13 PM ET

A pair of House and Senate Republicans introduced legislation Tuesday to end President Barack Obama's six-month ban on offshore drilling starts.

Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) and Rep. Pete Olson (R-Texas) filed legislation to lift the short-term moratorium on new offshore drilling that the president put into place following the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

The legislation comes in response to Gulf coast lawmakers pushing to lift the moratorium out of concern that the ban, which the White House has said could be lifted before the six months are exhausted, would only exacerbate the negative economic impact from the spill.

"This moratorium threatens to finish what the oil spill started," Vitter said in a statement. "If it stays in place, even for six months, it will be a devastating blow to the economy of Louisiana and other Gulf states."

The Republicans aren't the only one to support lifting the ban, either. Vitter's Louisiana colleague, Sen. Mary Landrieu (D), has also urged the president to lift the moratorium.

Other lawmakers from Gulf states, however, have joined with Obama in a more measured approach, waiting for federal officials and the president's oil spill commission to finish its work on investigating the causes of the spill and ways to prevent future accidents before allowing new drilling starts.

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http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/103267-republicans-introduce-bill-to-lift-drilling-moratorium

[dgibby]

1. Vitter's just protecting his own interests.

After all, everyone knows diapers contain petroleum products.

[sharp_stick]

2. Now here is an opportunity

to bend the pukes over a barrel and get something from them. Tell Vitter and the rest of his asshole colleagues that the moratorium stays in place until a decent set of environmental and economic regulations are placed on the oil industry overall.

Get some legislation with teeth in it and rework the entire debacle that is the MMS then maybe we can talk about lifting the fucking moratorium.

The only way to get concessions from the assholes across the aisle is to take away their money printing programs until they comply.

[polichick]

3. Ignorant oil whores. nt

[Bragi]

4. Sadly, Obama is likely to lift the ban anyway

[polichick]

5. Hopefully he won't be that stupid. This is his chance to stand up for what's right. nt