December 5, 2007
Contact: Robin Winchell (202) 225-4031
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Rep. Charlie Melancon commented
on the decision by the U.S. House Republican leadership today to cancel a
planned vote on S. 3711, the Domenici-Landrieu Gulf of Mexico Energy Security
Act, which will expand offshore oil and gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico and
provide a significant share of the royalties to Louisiana for coastal
restoration and hurricane protection projects. S. 3711 was scheduled to
be on the House's suspension calendar today, which requires bills receive a
two-thirds majority for passage.
"While I am disappointed we did not get the opportunity
today to pass this historic piece of legislation, I am optimistic and believe
that a vote on S. 3711 will be rescheduled and we will pass this bill before we
adjourn," said Melancon. "I and the rest of the Louisiana
delegation will continue working around the clock to educate our fellow members
of Congress on why offshore revenue sharing is so vital to Louisiana's future. We have been
patiently producing energy for the rest of the nation for 50 years, and we are
tired of waiting for the funding we need to restore our disappearing coastal wetlands
and protect ours communities from future hurricanes. I urge the House
leadership to schedule a final vote on S. 3711 before the end of the week, so
we can pass this legislation and finally move forward with rebuilding and
protecting coastal Louisiana."
S. 3711 opens 8.3 million acres of the Gulf of Mexico to new
oil and gas production, and shares 37.5 percent of the federal revenues
generated with Gulf Coast energy-producing states, including Louisiana, for coastal
hurricane protection, wetlands restoration and flood control projects.
The House has also shown its support for offshore
revenue-sharing, passing in June H.R. 4761, the Deep Ocean Energy Resources
(DOER) Act, a bipartisan bill expanding offshore oil and gas drilling and
providing Louisiana
and other coastal states with a significant share of royalties from drilling
off their coasts. Melancon and other leading members of the House
Resources Committee had negotiated the comprehensive DOER Act from the more
than two dozen outer-continental shelf-related bills introduced this Congress.
Melancon was instrumental in building support among
Democratic members of Congress for the DOER Act, providing the bill's margin of
victory by convincing 39 fellow House Democrats to vote with him in favor of
the legislation. Both the Senate and House bills provide significant new
funding for Louisiana's
hurricane protection and coastal restoration system.
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