[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 108 (Wednesday, July 21, 2010)]
[House]
[Page H5897]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       BP'S RESPONSIBILITY TO SOUTH FLORIDA COMMUNITIES CONTINUES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, last week, as we know, BP announced 
that it had capped the oil well, and that for the first time in more 
than 80 days oil had stopped gushing intot he Gulf of Mexico. While 
last week's announcement was cause for relief among many, I have since 
urged cautious optimism. Much work remains to be done to address the 
worst environmental disaster that this country has seen in recent 
memory.
  BP is still responsible for ensuring that every last drop of oil is 
removed from the gulf. BP still has a financial responsibility to those 
residents in the gulf coast, particularly in my congressional district 
of the Florida Keys, who remain financially devastated from the public 
perception, however false it may be, of tar ball-covered beaches and 
oil-soaked fish.
  Despite promises of improvement, however, the BP claims process has 
not improved. I support legislation introduced by my friend, 
Congressman Charlie Melancon, to tax-exempt BP claims checks. It is the 
least we can do for those small business owners who continue to suffer 
to this day, mom and pop fishing charters. They must provide years' 
worth of financial data in order to prove the possibility of economic 
injury as a result of the spill.

                              {time}  1650

  Of course, this data does not truly explain the current hardship. For 
years, Keys fishermen have struggled with hurricanes, tropical storms, 
unnecessary fishing closures, and a sluggish tourist economy. This 
year, 2010, was supposed to represent the light at the end of the 
tunnel. Unfortunately, the gulf oil spill has dashed those hopes. 
Charter boat captains in the Keys have lost more than half of their 
businesses this summer due to the oil spill perception.
  My constituent, an Islamorada charter boat captain, Larry Wren, was 
denied financial compensation by BP. Captain Wren provided all the 
necessary tax documents, proof of cancellations, and even his trip logs 
from the past few years. After being informed that he was eligible for 
assistance, BP claims officials have reversed their position. BP says 
it will no longer pay the claim because oil has yet to reach the 
Florida Keys' shoreline, if it ever will.
  I say shame on BP. BP must be held to task. The company's 
responsibility to all financially impacted gulf coast residents and 
businesses will not go away once the relief well is completed.
  Now, earlier today, I voted on legislation to increase Federal 
research on the potential hazards posed by technologies used to counter 
the oil spill. I have long voiced my concerns about the use of chemical 
dispersants in such a sensitive marine ecosystem. BP contends that the 
chemical it is using to break down the oil is safe, but the fact 
remains that this dispersant has never been used in such vast 
quantities.
  Keys commercial fishermen, whose season kicks off later this year, 
are also concerned about the long-term consequences of dispersants on 
the overall health of the fishery. Members of the environmental 
community are also worried about the potential harm caused by these 
chemicals on our already fragile coral reefs.
  As BP works toward a permanent fix to the leak in the Gulf of Mexico, 
it is essential that Congress and all Federal agencies continue to 
place pressure on this oil giant to address both the environmental and 
the financial aspects of this disaster.

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