Barrasso: "The Administration, It Seems To Me, is Now Putting Ideology Over Scientific Integrity."

Statement

Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) asked Interior Secretary Ken Salazar if the Administration is putting ideology over scientific integrity in the wake of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Senator Barrasso delivered his remarks during the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing.

Excerpts of Senator Barrasso's remarks include:

"Mr. Secretary, thanks so much for being here to testify again today.

"Improving management of our offshore energy resources is critical.

"We are at day 66 of the oil spill. Day 66 of an economic and environmental catastrophe in the Gulf, which is not just affecting the Gulf region, but our entire country.

"One thing the American people know for certain right now, is that BP, nor the Administration have any idea how to stop the leak today.

"That's why today's hearing is so important. We need to improve offshore exploration, and that requires an honest and a thoughtful response and approach.

"We have to get to the issues of preventing future spills, of protecting coastal businesses, whether it's the shrimpers or the drilling rig workers, to ensure responsible exploration for American offshore oil and natural gas in the short run, as well as the long run. And to improve the government's ability to respond.

"It's a response that has been called delayed, sluggish, bureaucratic and ineffective.

"And the Administration, it seems to me, is now putting ideology over scientific integrity.

"This Administration put together a group of experts to review safety recommendations for offshore oil and gas exploration.

"The Administration proudly stated that the safety recommendations were "peer-reviewed.'

"Well, afterwards, the American people found out that the most significant recommendation, which was the moratorium, was not actually peer-reviewed.

"The moratorium was added after the experts had been consulted. The majority of the experts consulted say that their names were used to justify a political decision made by the Administration.

"So, here I am looking at a moratorium that to me is causing additional unnecessary economic harm to a region that is already suffering.

"Now, according to the Interior Department's own report, "the OCS oil and gas industry provides relatively high-paying jobs in drilling and production activities.' It goes on to say "Offshore operations provide direct employment estimated at 150,000 jobs.'

"We know that the federal judge overturned the moratorium on Tuesday, saying: "the Court is unable to divine or fathom a relationship between the findings and the immense scope of the moratorium.'

"Well, to make matters worse Mr. Secretary, the President's newly appointed seven member Oil Spill Commission, it seems to me to be stacked with people who philosophically oppose offshore exploration. The President said he wanted an objective look, well the Commission's background and expertise doesn't really include an oil or a drilling expert.

"So people in the Gulf, people across the country are wondering about the Administration's goals? Is it really about making offshore energy exploration safer or is it shutting down our offshore and American oil and gas?

"When they see that the President of the Natural Resource Defense Council is one of the seven members of the committee, and this group is that just intervened as a defendant in the court case wanting to continue the moratorium, it's no surprise that the American people are asking questions.

"So I want to applaud the members of this Committee for taking a less political approach. Including our Chair and our Vice-Chairman, and the thoughtful bills that are under consideration today

"I wanted to ask about the Jones Act.

"More than a dozen foreign countries have offered to help. BP and the Administration have been slow to accept the assistance is what I'm hearing from Senators who represent the states in that area.

"We heard from the Coast Guard Captain that, "We have exhausted all our East Coast supply of skimming vessels. We are now looking at Norway, France, Spain, and other European vessels.'

"Under the Jones Act, foreign skimmers are prohibited from skimming within three miles of the U.S. coast.

"Do you have enough skimmers in the Gulf? And are there currently any outstanding offers that have been rejected that we really ought to reconsider and accept?"

Senator Barrasso is the only Republican member of both the Senate Energy and Natural Resources and Environment and Public Works Committees.

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