Perlmutter Statement on President’s BP Catastrophe Speech

Washington, DC -- Today, Rep. Ed Perlmutter (CO-07) released the following statement following the President's statement on the BP Catastrophe:

“The first order of business is stopping the oil spill and containing the damage as much as possible. Let’s be clear, this is a man-made disaster and the responsible parties must be held accountable. Because of BP’s negligence, lives were lost, and the fishing and tourism industry are seriously damaged. The buck stops with the oil companies. BP must pay for the clean-up and for the lost wages and damages to the hard working people in the Gulf of Mexico. Taxpayers must not bear the burden of their dangerous behavior.

“We need to move towards a sustainable, balanced energy policy. We can’t go cold turkey on drilling for oil and gas, but we can enforce safe and responsible drilling practices while promoting energy policies that will tap into America’s great potential in renewable energy and energy efficiency. The people of Colorado and my district know our economic success is tied to developing a comprehensive energy policy to transition the way we power our nation by increasing investments in renewable and alternative energy methods. This approach is good for national security, jobs and the climate.”