[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 108 (Wednesday, July 21, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1394]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  THE OIL POLLUTION RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM REAUTHORIZATION 
   (H.R. 2693) AND THE SAFER OIL AND NATURAL GAS DRILLING TECHNOLOGY 
              RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (H.R. 5716)

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                         HON. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 21, 2010

  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of today's oil spill 
legislation as part of Congress' comprehensive response to the 
Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf.
  The Oil Pollution Research and Development Program Reauthorization 
(H.R. 2693) will provide badly needed additional resources for oil 
spill research and development, as well as streamline the Interagency 
Coordinating Committee on Oil Pollution Research currently responsible 
for the nation's federally funded oil spill pollution R&D. 
Additionally, the Safer Oil and Natural Gas Drilling Technology 
Research and Development Program (H.R. 5716) will ensure that the 
federal government's existing R&D program for deepwater drilling is as 
focused on accident prevention, worker safety and environmental impact 
mitigation as it is on resource recovery.
  While relatively modest in scope, these two initiatives will bring a 
more appropriate balance to federal policy with respect to deepwater 
drilling, help reduce the risk of future deepwater accidents, and 
improve our ability to respond to those accidents should they occur 
again.
  I urge a yes vote.

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