National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) President Randall Luthi issued the following statement following the approval of HR 1231, `Reversing President Obama’s Offshore Moratorium Act':
“With the passage of HR 1231, the Reversing President Obama’s Offshore Moratorium Act, the House of Representatives showed they are listening to the American people. Average working Americans know that our long term energy solution includes increased exploration for oil and natural gas off our shores and this bill would expedite increased exploration and the setting of production goals from those offshore areas.
“Every step we make today in assuring the United States is willing to compete with other countries, such as Cuba and Brazil, by providing opportunities to develop our own offshore oil and natural gas resources consistently and safely has an immediate effect in calming the international oil market.
“Furthermore, sending a strong signal that we are open for business and eager to create thousands of new jobs does far more to bring down the price at the pump than does putting more taxes on the oil and natural gas industry. Taxing a business, whether it is gold mining, farming or oil and gas, will only increase the price of gold, food or fuel.
“Today’s legislation along with HR 1229 and 1230, which were also recently passed by the House, go a long way toward increasing home grown offshore energy production, increasing jobs, and increasing economic and domestic energy security. We encourage the Senate to join the House and turn its focus to passing these three offshore energy bills before the Memorial Day recess.”