Today’s Business Meeting

 In a mark-up today, with a unanimous voice vote, Senate Energy Committee reported a bill which takes a number of important steps to ensure that the Outer Continental Shelf is managed in a balanced, prudent and vigilant way, to ensure safety and protection of the environment.   The bipartisan bill -- the Outer Continental Shelf Reform Act (S. 3516) -- was modified with seven amendments.  It’s now eligible for consideration by the full Senate.

Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM): “This bipartisan bill reforms the organizations and the principles governing offshore energy exploration and production.  From clear and tough ethics requirements, to better research and analysis of the natural resources on the Outer Continental Shelf, to an improved and adequately funded system for inspecting offshore rigs, this bill makes a good start on reforms that will help Americans regain confidence in our ability to manage offshore energy in a responsible and forward-looking way.”

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK): “Today, the Energy Committee agreed unanimously to advance legislation that will help restore Americans’ confidence in our ability to safely produce our oil and gas resources, and we did it in a transparent, truly bipartisan process.  Congress as a whole could learn a lot from this effort, and we must not lose our focus on the need to get this bill right for the Gulf, for Alaska, and for our Nation.”

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