Date: 2006-06-29
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I thank the gentleman from Florida. There are times in life when we must make difficult choices. The Bilirakis. Wasserman Schultz and others amendment will add 125 miles of protection and require the legislature to affirmatively vote to allow drilling closer than that distance. It adds protection to the Outer Continental Shelf coastline that we do not now enjoy. The choice in front of us on this amendment is do we squeeze our eyes shut tight. cross our fingers and pray that we will never have drilling off of our coastline or do we act now and ensure that we do not? I believe in. controlling our own destiny. I want to know that there is 125 miles of protection that we do not now have off the eastern coastline. For those Members that are opposed to this bill. as I am. you can vote in good conscience for this amendment and ensure a significant amount of protection in the event that the bill passes. If this amendment does not pass and the bill does. then we are left with the possibility of having oil rigs within 50 miles of our coastline. That is an unacceptable option. We should act now to ensure that we have at least 125 miles of protection off the eastern coast in the Outer Continental Shelf. I urge the adoption of the BilirakisWasserman Schultz amendment. There are times in life when we must make choices. some of them are easy and some of them are not. I firmly believe that as Members of Congress we have an obligation to protect people and the environment who have only our votes standing between them and devastating consequences. I am an opponent of oil drilling. I have never voted for drilling in my 14 years as a public servant. But as public servants we must use both our heart and our head when deciding what is best at any given moment in time. The underlying legislation would be harmful to our environment. Drilling 50 miles off our coast. which is possible under the Pombo legislation is irresponsible. We should be investing in alternative energy resources and truly breaking ourselves of the addiction to oil referenced in President Bushs State of -the Union speech. But. we wont have that chance today and sadly. unless the tide turns in this body. I fear that we wont ever have that chance. I represent the cities of Ft. Lauderdale. Hollywood and Miami Beach. from the ocean to the Everglades. Floridas coastline must be protected. Our economy depends on our number one industrytourism. which brings in 86 million tourists annually. supports one million jobs and generates $56 billion. There is a lot at stake for Florida. That is why there are times in life when we must make difficult choices. The Bilirakis. Wasserman Schultz and others amendment will add 125 miles of protection and require the legislature to affirmatively vote to allow drilling closer than that distance. It adds protection to the Outer Continental Shelf coastline that we do not now enjoy. The choice in front of us on this amendment is do we squeeze our eyes shut tight. cross our fingers and pray that well never have drilling off of our coastline or do we act now and ensure that we dont? I believe in controlling our own destiny. I want to know that there is 125 miles of protection that we do not now have off the eastern coastline. For those Members that are opposed to this bill. as I am. you can vote in good conscience for this amendment and ensure a significant amount of protection in the event that the bill passes. If this amendment does not pass and the bill does. then we are left with the possibility of having oil rigs within 50 miles of our coastline. That is an unacceptable option. We should act now to ensure at least 125 miles of protection off the eastern coastline. At the end of the day. we are representatives of our communities and our States. but we are ultimately United States Representatives. charged with thinking about our whole country. In that role. we have an obligation to ensure that the legislative products we send out of this institution. with or without our votes contain the best content we can develop. That requires the courage to compromise. Henry Clay said it best. . "All legislation . . . is founded upon the principle of mutual concessionLet him who elevates himself above humanity. above its weaknesses. its infirmities. its wants. its necessities. say. if he pleases. I never will compromise". but let no one who is not above the frailties of our common nature disdain compromise." The coastline of the Unites States of America must have the maximum protection we can .attain for her. The BilirakisWasserman Schultz amendment does that. Is it perfection? No. but if we live for perfection. we risk failure. The failure to protect our environment as much as we can is not an option. This amendment provides that protection for in this legislation. Without it. our environment faces grave danger.