[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 108 (Wednesday, July 21, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H5874-H5878]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
{time} 1230
SAFER OIL AND NATURAL GAS DRILLING TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
ACT
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules
and pass the bill (H.R. 5716) to provide for enhancement of existing
efforts in support of research, development, demonstration, and
commercial application activities to advance technologies for the safe
and environmentally responsible exploration, development, and
production of oil and natural gas resources, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
[[Page H5875]]
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 5716
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Safer Oil and Natural Gas
Drilling Technology Research and Development Act''.
SEC. 2. SUBTITLE AMENDMENT.
Subtitle J of title IX of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42
U.S.C. 16371 et seq.) is amended in the subtitle heading by
striking ``Ultra-Deepwater and Unconventional Natural Gas and
Other Petroleum Resources'' and inserting ``Safer Oil and
Natural Gas Drilling Technology Research and Development
Program''.
SEC. 3. SAFER OIL AND NATURAL GAS DRILLING TECHNOLOGY
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
(a) Program Authority.--Section 999A of the Energy Policy
Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16371) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) by striking ``ultra-deepwater'' and inserting
``deepwater''; and
(B) by inserting ``well control and accident prevention,''
after ``safe operations,'';
(2) in subsection (b)--
(A) by inserting ``, accident prevention and mitigation,''
after ``improving safety'';
(B) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following:
``(1) Deepwater architecture and technology, including
those for drilling to formations in water depths greater than
1,000 feet.''; and
(C) by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the following:
``(4) Complementary research carried out by the
Department.'';
(3) in subsection (d)--
(A) in the subsection heading, by striking ``National
Energy Technology Laboratory'' and inserting ``Department of
Energy''; and
(B) by striking ``National Energy Technology Laboratory''
and inserting ``Office of Fossil Energy of the Department'';
(4) in subsection (e)--
(A) in the subsection heading, by striking ``Secretary of
the Interior'' and inserting ``Other Federal Agencies''; and
(B) by inserting ``and other agencies as appropriate,
including those serving on, and collaborating with, the
Interagency Coordinating Committee on Oil Pollution Research
as established under section 7001 of the Oil Pollution Act of
1990 (33 U.S.C. 2761(a))'' after ``Secretary of the
Interior''; and
(5) by adding at the end the following:
``(f) Partnerships.--In carrying out the program under this
subtitle, the Secretary shall seek to establish partnerships
with eligible research performers, as described by section
999E, to undertake research and development not likely
otherwise to be undertaken in the absence of support from the
program.''.
(b) Program Elements.--Section 999B of the Energy Policy
Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16372) is amended--
(1) in the section heading, by striking ``ULTRA-DEEPWATER
AND UNCONVENTIONAL ONSHORE NATURAL GAS AND OTHER PETROLEUM''
and inserting ``SAFER OIL AND NATURAL GAS DRILLING
TECHNOLOGY'';
(2) by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:
``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall carry out the
activities under section 999A to maximize the benefits of
natural gas and other petroleum resources of the United
States by advancing the safe and environmentally responsible
exploration, development, and production of those
resources.'';
(3) in subsection (c)(1)--
(A) by redesignating subparagraphs (D) and (E) as
subparagraphs (E) and (F), respectively; and
(B) by inserting after subparagraph (C) the following:
``(D) select projects on a competitive basis;'';
(4) in subsection (c)(3)(A)(ii), by striking ``under
subsection (f)(4)'';
(5) in subsection (d)--
(A) in paragraph (6), by striking ``ultra-deepwater'' and
inserting ``deepwater''; and
(B) by striking paragraph (7) and inserting the following:
``(7) Focus areas for awards.--
``(A) Deepwater resources.--Awards from allocations under
section 999H(d)(1) shall focus on research, development,
demonstration, and commercial application activities in areas
that include--
``(i) technologies and systems aimed at improving
operational safety and reducing potential environmental
impacts of deepwater exploration and production activities,
including--
``(I) wellbore integrity, well control, and blowout
prevention;
``(II) capture and containment of oil at or near the
wellhead; and
``(III) expanding operational capabilities and efficiency
of remotely operated devices and mechanics;
``(ii) safe and environmentally responsible deepwater
exploration and production technologies, integrated systems,
and architectures for enhancing oil and natural gas drilling
and recovery, including under extreme conditions;
``(iii) methods and technologies for severe weather and
ocean surface condition preparedness;
``(iv) utilization of exploration and production methods
and materials that reduce the potential impact of such
activities on the environment; and
``(v) other areas as determined appropriate by the
Secretary.
``(B) Unconventional onshore resources.--Awards from
allocations under section 999H(d)(2) shall focus on research,
development, demonstration, and commercial application
activities in areas that include--
``(i) advanced coalbed methane, deep drilling, natural gas
production from tight sands, natural gas production from gas
shales, stranded gas, innovative exploration and production
techniques, and enhanced recovery techniques;
``(ii) increased efficiency of energy use in exploration
and production activities;
``(iii) utilization of exploration and production methods
and materials that reduce the potential impact of such
activities on the environment;
``(iv) recovery, utilization, reduction, and improved
management of produced water from exploration and production
activities; and
``(v) accident prevention and mitigation of unconventional
natural gas and other petroleum resources exploration and
production.
``(C) Small producers.--Awards from allocations under
section 999H(d)(3) shall be made to consortia consisting of
small producers or organized primarily for the benefit of
small producers, and shall focus on areas that include--
``(i) safety and accident prevention, environmental
mitigation, waste reduction, reduction of energy use, and
well control and systems integrity;
``(ii) complex geology involving rapid changes in the type
and quality of the oil and gas reserves across the reservoir;
``(iii) low reservoir pressure and unconventional natural
gas reservoirs in coalbeds, deep reservoirs, tight sands, or
shales; and
``(iv) advancing energy efficient, safe, and
environmentally responsible production of unconventional oil
reservoirs in tar sands and oil shales.
``(D) Safety, and accident prevention and mitigation,
technology research and development by the department.--
Awards from allocations under section 999H(d)(4) shall focus
on safety, and accident prevention and mitigation, research,
development, demonstration, and commercial application
activities in areas that may include--
``(i) improved technologies and best management practices
for enhanced well integrity including--
``(I) cementing;
``(II) casing;
``(III) wellbore sealant technologies;
``(IV) well-plugging and abandonment;
``(V) improvement and standardization of blowout prevention
devices;
``(VI) actuation and pressure testing; and
``(VII) other well control activities;
``(ii) research to aid in the development of industry best
practices and standards for workforce training, design of
safe workplace environments, and safety related
decisionmaking processes, including by drawing on existing
research into human factors and safety related practices in
fields such as the nuclear energy, aviation, and automotive
industries;
``(iii) secondary control systems to activate blowout
prevention devices and terminate well-flow, including--
``(I) deadman switches;
``(II) automatic shears; and
``(III) remote acoustic switches;
``(iv) technologies and methods for accident mitigation,
including--
``(I) capture, containment, or dispersing of oil at or near
the wellhead;
``(II) estimating flow rate;
``(III) diagnostic sensors to determine equipment
malfunction; and
``(IV) procedures to terminate flow;
``(v) continuing ongoing efforts, including in resource
assessment and characterization, and in simulation of safe
and effective drilling under extreme conditions, including
high temperatures and pressures;
``(vi) development of methodologies for risk management
decisionmaking, including comparative risk analysis and
quantitative risk assessment of potential for failure in the
technologies, management practices, and systems studies under
this subsection; and
``(vii) other activities as described in this paragraph or
as determined appropriate by the Secretary.'';
(6) in subsection (e)--
(A) in paragraph (2)--
(i) in the second sentence of subparagraph (A), by
inserting ``to the Secretary for review'' after ``submit'';
and
(ii) in the first sentence of subparagraph (B), by striking
``Ultra-Deepwater'' and all that follows through ``and such
Advisory Committees'' and inserting ``Program Advisory
Committee established under section 999D(a), and the Advisory
Committee'';
(B) in paragraph (4)--
(i) by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph (A);
(ii) by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (B)
and inserting ``; and''; and
(iii) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
``(C) a summary of ongoing and planned activities aimed at
improving operational safety and reducing potential
environmental impacts of exploration and production.''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(6) Research findings and recommendations for
implementation.--The Secretary shall publish in the Federal
Register an annual report on the research findings of the
program carried out under this section and
[[Page H5876]]
any recommendations for implementation that the Secretary
determines to be necessary.'';
(7) in subsection (f)(2), by inserting ``In carrying out
this subsection, the Secretary shall ensure that safety and
accident prevention and mitigation be regularly included as
specific focus areas for solicitations.'' after
``consortium.'';
(8) in subsection (i)--
(A) in the subsection heading, by striking ``United States
Geological Survey'' and inserting ``Department of the
Interior''; and
(B) by striking ``, through the United States Geological
Survey,''; and
(9) in subsection (j), by striking ``National Energy
Technology Laboratory'' and inserting ``Office of Fossil
Energy of the Department''.
SEC. 4. PROGRAM ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
Section 999D of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C.
16374) is amended to read as follows:
``SEC. 999D. PROGRAM ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
``(a) Establishment.--Not later than 90 days after the date
of enactment of the Safer Oil and Natural Gas Drilling
Technology Research and Development Act, the Secretary shall
establish an advisory committee to be known as the `Program
Advisory Committee' (referred to in this section as the
`Advisory Committee').
``(b) Membership.--
``(1) In general.--The Advisory Committee shall be composed
of members appointed by the Secretary, each of whom shall be
qualified by education, training, and experience to evaluate
scientific and technical information relevant to the
research, development, and demonstration under this subtitle.
Members shall include--
``(A) individuals with extensive research experience or
operational knowledge of oil and natural gas exploration and
production;
``(B) individuals broadly representative of the affected
interests in oil and natural gas production, including
interests in environmental protection and operational safety;
``(C) State regulatory agency representatives; and
``(D) other individuals, as determined by the Secretary.
``(2) Limitations.--
``(A) In general.--The Advisory Committee shall not include
individuals who are board members, officers, or employees of
the program consortium.
``(B) Categorical representation.--In appointing members of
the Advisory Committee, the Secretary shall ensure that no
class of individuals described in any of subparagraphs (B),
(C), or (D) of paragraph (1) comprises more than \1/3\ of the
membership of the Advisory Committee.
``(c) Subcommittees.--The Advisory Committee may establish
subcommittees or ad hoc working groups for the research focus
areas described in section 999B(d)(7).
``(d) Duties.--The Advisory Committee shall--
``(1) advise the Secretary on the development and
implementation of programs under this subtitle; and
``(2) carry out section 999B(e)(2)(B).
``(e) Compensation.--A member of the Advisory Committee
shall serve without compensation but shall be entitled to
receive travel expenses in accordance with subchapter I of
chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code.
``(f) Prohibition.--The Advisory Committee shall not make
recommendations on funding awards to particular consortia or
other entities, or for specific projects.''.
SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.
Section 999G of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C.
16377) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``200 but less than 1,500
meters'' and inserting ``1,000 feet'';
(2) by striking paragraphs (8), (9), and (10);
(3) by redesignating paragraphs (2) through (7) and (11) as
paragraphs (4) through (9) and (10), respectively; and
(4) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
``(2) Deepwater architecture.--The term `deepwater
architecture' means the integration of technologies for the
safe and environmentally responsible exploration for, or
production of, natural gas or other petroleum resources
located at deepwater depths.
``(3) Deepwater technology.--The term `deepwater
technology' means a discrete technology that is specially
suited to address 1 or more challenges associated with the
safe and environmentally responsible exploration for, or
production of, natural gas or other petroleum resources
located at deepwater depths.''.
SEC. 6. FUNDING.
Section 999H of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C.
16378) is amended--
(1) in the first sentence of subsection (a) by striking
``Ultra-Deepwater and Unconventional Natural Gas and Other
Petroleum Research Fund'' and inserting ``Safer Oil and
Natural Gas Drilling Technology Research and Development
Fund'';
(2) in subsection (d)--
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``35 percent'' and
inserting ``32.5 percent'';
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``32.5 percent'' and
inserting ``25 percent''; and
(C) in paragraph (4)--
(i) by striking ``25 percent'' and inserting ``35
percent''; and
(ii) by striking ``contract management,'' and all that
follows through the period at the end and inserting ``and
contract management.'';
(3) in subsection (f), by striking ``Ultra-Deepwater and
Unconventional Natural Gas and Other Petroleum Research
Fund'' and inserting ``Safer Oil and Natural Gas Drilling
Technology Research and Development Fund''; and
(4) at the end of the section, by inserting the following
new subsection:
``(g) Coordination and Nonduplication.--The Secretary shall
ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that the research
activities carried out by the consortium funded under
paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of subsection (d), and the
research activities carried out by the Department of Energy
as funded by subsection (d)(4), shall be coordinated and not
duplicative of one another.''.
SEC. 7. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.
The table of contents of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 is
amended--
(1) by amending the item relating to subtitle J of title IX
to read as follows:
``Subtitle J--Safer Oil and Natural Gas Drilling Technology Research
and Development Program'';
(2) by amending the item relating to section 999B to read
as follows:
``Sec. 999B. Safer Oil and Natural Gas Drilling Technology Research and
Development Program.'';
and
(3) by amending the item relating to section 999D to read
as follows:
``Sec. 999D. Program Advisory Committee.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Tennessee (Mr. Gordon) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hall) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Tennessee.
General Leave
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that
all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their
remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 5716, the bill now
under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Tennessee?
There was no objection.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Advances in drilling technologies have allowed industry to venture
into ever deeper waters in search of the enormous oil and gas reserves
found there. Operating in such extreme environments entails immense
engineering and technological challenges, the complexity of which is
encountered in few other endeavors.
In the hypercompetitive field of energy, the industry is naturally
guarded about sharing information and collaborating on proprietary
technology development. But safety is universal, and it's time we use
Federal resources in pushing the technology envelope towards safer and
more environmentally responsible oil and natural gas exploration and
production.
My bill, H.R. 5716, the Safer Oil and Natural Gas Drilling Technology
Research and Development Act, does just that by realigning the focus
and funding of existing programs set-up under section 999 of the Energy
Policy Act of 2005 on environmental and worker safety and accident
prevention and mitigation. I introduced this bill after close
collaboration with my friend from Texas, Mr. Hall, who has been a long-
time champion of this program.
As we look toward Federal resources to rapidly advance this field, it
is somewhat fortuitous that the 999 program is already in place. Both
the outside research consortium, RPSEA, and the program at the National
Energy Technology Laboratory are well-suited to take on challenges of
R&D into the technologies for drilling safety and accident prevention
mitigation.
As a DOE lab for fossil energy, NETL has an extensive research
infrastructure and a long history of expertise and excellence in this
field and through the relatively new RPSEA, currently has approximately
170 members from across industry, academia, NGOs, and government
research entities. Furthermore, the program does not require new
spending since it's already funded from $50 million in royalty
revenues.
If properly realigned to meet the current challenges, this research
program, authorized by section 666, represents the Department of
Energy's best resources for improving safety and reducing the
environmental impact of offshore and onshore oil and natural gas
exploration and production activities.
As I said, H.R. 5716 is the product of significant bipartisan
collaboration, and I want to thank Mr. Hall, his
[[Page H5877]]
staff, and the other members of the Science and Technology Committee
for their continuing good work as we move this legislation forward.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. HALL of Texas. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5716, the Safer Oil and
Natural Gas Drilling Technology Research and Development Act.
As we near the 100-day mark since the beginning of the Deepwater
Horizon disaster, our understanding of the precise causes of the
accident--and the missteps in the days that followed--remain unclear.
However, regardless of the ultimate causes of and best responses to
the disaster, it makes sense to continue pursuing improvements to safe
and environmentally responsible drilling operations as well as
effective spill response systems.
The two oil spill-related bills under consideration by the House
today represent the Science and Technology Committee's contribution to
this effort and are likely to have a significant impact on future
drilling and response mitigation efforts.
The program offered by this bill, H.R. 5716, was established in
section 999 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. It supports through a
collaborative effort between the Department of Energy and a university
industry research consortium cutting-edge technologies to enhance safe
and environmentally responsible offshore and onshore oil and gas
development.
The program has contributed significantly to transformational
advances in deep offshore and onshore drilling technologies that are
helping to efficiently and responsibly recover energy supplies long
known to exist but which were previously inaccessible. The recovery of
these resources has resulted in significant benefits to taxpayers in
the form of domestic jobs and affordable energy, as well as increasing
royalties to the fund that pays for the program in the first place.
The changes to EPAct section 999 made by H.R. 5716 are the product of
extensive negotiations with the majority to develop compromised
legislation in response to the Deepwater Horizon disaster.
Specifically, the bill makes three changes to the existing statute.
First, it shifts the focus of each of the program's four elements
towards advancing safety and accident prevention and mitigation
technologies associated with oil and natural gas exploration and
production.
Second, it adjusts the award allocations among these four programs
reducing deepwater and unconventional onshore natural gas programs by a
small amount while increasing the allocation for Department of Energy
in-house research from 25 percent to 35 percent.
And, third, it redefines and expands the scope of offshore R&D
activities to those involving water depths of a thousand feet or
greater, a reduction from the 5,000 feet in current law, and in doing
so, modifies the current focus on ``ultra-deepwater'' activities to
pertain simply to deepwater activities.
Additionally, the bill makes numerous additional minor changes to the
management and structure of the 999 program while preserving its
original goals and objectives which recognize America's domestic oil
and natural gas resources are important national priorities that
contribute significantly to job growth and to the economy while
reducing dependence on foreign sources of energy.
While this precise focus and detailed language in this bill is not
ideal, it represents a fair and responsible and reasonable compromise
that preserves and strengthens the section 999 program. This is the
only R&D program in the Federal Government capable of ramping up its
activities quickly and effectively to address renewed interest in
drilling technology research in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon
disaster. Given the administration's efforts to terminate any and all
research and development relating to oil and natural gas, this program
is all the more vital.
I want to again extend my thanks to Chairman Gordon for working with
me and with us on this bill and the staffs working with one another. I
look forward to continued bipartisan cooperation on this bill as the
legislative process moves forward. I urge Members to support my bill.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Tim Murphy).
Mr. TIM MURPHY of Pennsylvania. I thank the distinguished chairman of
the Science Technology Committee, Mr. Gordon. I would also like to
thank both Chairman Gordon and Ranking Member Hall for their generosity
in letting me voice suggestions to this very important piece of
legislation.
As this legislation demonstrates, Congress will not allow the
Deepwater Horizon incident to end safe exploration for American energy
resources. If America fails to safely and securely produce our own
energy resources, we increase our dependence on foreign oil, weaken our
national security, and stand to lose good-paying jobs. I commend the
chairman for this legislation making deepwater drilling technologies
safer and want to call particular attention to the work of the National
Energy Technology Laboratories.
These workers have scientific expertise related to fluid flow,
imaging, fire science, and ultra-deepwater, and can integrate research
across academia, national labs, and industry. The national energy labs
have unique capabilities related to the containment of high-pressure
fluids/gases in the subsurface under extreme conditions, like the
prediction of materials' behavior under extreme conditions.
The Federal Government has a critical role to play in the research of
new drilling technologies. In representing the interests of the
taxpayers, the Federal Government is the fair arbiter--weighing the
risk of exploration against the environmental impacts, unrelated to the
value of economic return. The workers at these labs have demonstrated
themselves to be responsible stewards of taxpayer money with respect to
ultra-deepwater programs, and I hope they'll continue to do so.
Although H.R. 5716 eliminates specific reference to the National
Energy Technology Labs, it is not the chairman's firm belief that this
vital research that is so necessary to ensuring America's energy
independence will continue to be coordinated and overseen by the
dedicated and experienced Federal employees in the award-winning
laboratories in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Oregon. Would that be
correct, Mr. Chairman?
I yield to the gentleman.
{time} 1240
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. I certainly respect the gentleman's opinion
on this matter and do, in fact, foresee that employees at the National
Energy Technology Laboratories will continue their work on ultra
deepwater research under the program's new name of Safer Oil and
Natural Gas Drilling Technology Research. They've done an excellent job
in the past, and I'm sure they will continue to do an excellent job.
Mr. TIM MURPHY of Pennsylvania. I thank the gentleman for his
response.
Mr. HALL of Texas. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the
gentleman from Washington, Dr. Baird.
Mr. BAIRD. I thank the chairman.
My earlier comments acknowledged the many people who are working so
hard down in the gulf, and I want to pay particular respect and
admiration to a great public servant, Admiral Thad Allen. As many of us
know, Thad Allen in effect essentially retired from the Coast Guard,
but recognizing the importance of this mission and the urgency of his
role there he has stayed on, working many, many long hours in an
incredibly complex endeavor. I have immense respect for him and hope
that people appreciate the kind of contribution not only that Admiral
Allen is making but that all of the coasties and other government
employees are making down there, as well as the many local residents as
well.
I also want to acknowledge the great work of the committee staff on
both sides of the aisle in drafting this legislation, and I
particularly want to speak about an aspect of this legislation that
I've worked on and that I think is particularly important and often
overlooked.
In many other areas of activity, the role of human factors has been
recognized as playing an increasingly important role. That's the case
with the nuclear power industry, which realized in
[[Page H5878]]
the post-Three Mile Island analyses that the complex information that
was being provided to the operators of the plant was easily
overwhelming and contributed to that disaster.
It has been recognized for a long time by the Federal Aviation
Administration. Indeed, the tragic accident in which an airliner
crashed into the Potomac not far from this very building was believed
strongly related to ice on the wings, but not just the ice on the wing,
but how the pilot and the copilot interacted in their discussion about
whether or not it would be safe to fly under those conditions.
As they looked at that analysis, it became apparent that the rules
for cockpit interactions and making decisions about safety needed to be
changed.
When we looked at this event that happened in the gulf and you follow
the dialogue that has been reported between BP and the drilling
operators, it is clear that human factors and risk analysis needs
dramatic improvement. Witnesses at the committee hearing testified that
we have to not only improve, as I mentioned earlier, the training of
the personnel on the rigs, but I think the management needs to be
addressed and the decisionmaking process.
If you can have a circumstance wherein someone says we're going to go
ahead with this operation as we deem appropriate, and effectively the
response was, well, that's I guess why we have the blowout prevention
devices, meaning somebody thought that if we do this, we're likely to
have a blowout. Now, when one looks at the history of safety and
efficacy of those blowout preventers, it's pretty clear that they had a
high failure rate.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. I yield 2 additional minutes to the
gentleman.
Mr. BAIRD. If we have an interaction system wherein people are making
decisions with a known possibility of a blowout and blowout preventers
that have a fairly high probability of failure, somebody needs to
intervene and say what the heck is going on here if people can make
these decisions when, and I want to underscore this, when the
consequence is the loss of human life. Eleven souls lost their lives on
that rig that day. We talk so much about the cleanup and the
environmental catastrophe that's resulted. Let us not forget those
eleven lives. When people's decisionmaking leads to the loss of human
life and leads to an environmental and economic tragedy of this
magnitude, we've got to make sure they make those decisions in the
right way, with the right information and the right communication
strategy, and as important as this bill is in improving the technology
for drilling and drilling safety, essential to that technology are the
human elements, and I'm grateful that the committee saw fit to include
those elements in the legislation.
I thank the chairman again.
Mr. HALL of Texas. I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, in conclusion, I want to once
again thank Ranking Member Hall for his initiating this bill. He is the
father of this bill, and I think we all recognize his good work there.
I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Gordon) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 5716, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________