[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 7]
[House]
[Page 10143]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    DAY 50 OF THE GULF OIL DISASTER

  (Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, in the last 50 days, approximately 
35 million gallons of oil have spewed into the gulf, resulting in the 
worst environmental disaster in American history. The oil spill has 
destroyed wildlife, wreaked havoc on our marine ecosystems, and 
debilitated thousands of families who depend on fishing and tourism for 
their way of life.
  While BP has stated that it will provide compensation to those 
individuals and businesses economically impacted by the oil spill, its 
claim offices in the Florida Keys, in my congressional district, have 
provided little assistance to those seeking relief. Individuals so 
overwhelmed by the BP claims process have actually had to hire lawyers 
to help sift through the mounds of paperwork required. These additional 
burdens imposed by BP are deplorable.
  If BP is committed to fixing this disaster and rebuilding our 
devastated communities, then it must act quickly and responsibly in 
processing these claims.

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