Below are excerpts from Vitter’s remarks:
“Today I rise to commemorate the sixth anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill that took the lives of 11 men and devastated many Gulf Coast communities. The men who lost their lives during this devastating incident will not be forgotten. Their names were:
Jason Anderson – 35, Midfield, Texas
Aaron Dale “Bubba” Burkeen – 37, Philadelphia, Mississippi
Donald Clark – 49, Newelton, Louisiana
Stephen Ray Curtis – 40, Georgetown, Louisiana
Gordon Jones – 28, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Roy Wyatt Kemp – 27, Jonesville, Louisiana
Karl Dale Kleppinger, Jr. – 38, Natchez, Mississippi
Keith Blair Manuel – 56, Gonzales, Louisiana
Dewey Revette – 48, State Line, Mississippi
Shane Roshto – 22, Liberty, Mississippi and
Adam Weise – 24, Yorktown, Texas
“In Louisiana, offshore oil and gas development is more than just our state’s largest economic drivers – it is a way of life, having supporting countless jobs and families across the region. That’s why our top priority must always be maintaining the highest level of safety standards, and in the last six years, we have been working to make sure this kind of human tragedy and subsequent economic losses never happen again. We must support policies that create a strong balance between having a strong regulatory scheme that promotes stringent safety standards while also allowing the energy industry to thrive. Fortunately, Louisiana’s resilience and recovery cannot be easily measured in terms of numbers and figures, but I can say with confidence that each and every Louisianian should be proud of how far we have come in recent years.
“In the six years since the tragic Deepwater Horizon oil spill, Louisiana has done what we do best – recover, rebuild, and progress. In order to build a brighter future for our families, businesses, and communities, we must also protect the symbiotic relationship between federal regulations and the oil and gas industry.”
