[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 9177]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          PERSONAL EXPLANATION

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 14, 2008

  Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Madam Speaker, I wish to clarify 
my vote on Ordering the Previous Question on the Rule for the 
Conference Report on S. Con. Res. 70, the Budget Resolution.
  In the 109th Congress, the Florida delegation, on a bi-partisan 
basis, worked hard to protect Florida's environmental treasures. The 
bill we achieved passage of, Public Law 109-432 (HR 6111), provided 
Florida with 125 mile protection off our coast. Furthermore, the 
legislation codified the ban on drilling within the ``military mission 
line''--approximately 234 miles from Tampa--to provide even more 
protection for Florida's west coast through the year 2022. I strongly 
support the current ban. I also believe other states should have the 
right to search for energy if they wish to do so.

                          ____________________