Sen. Murkowski Comments on Delay for Oil Spill Legislation
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today commented on the short life of Majority Leader Reid’s thrown-together energy bill. The Majority Leader kept up the highly partisan nature of the bill’s development and announced its demise after meeting with members of the Democratic caucus.
“Sen. Reid is predictably blaming Republicans for standing in the way of a bill that he threw together in secret and without input from almost any other member of the Senate. Process alone guaranteed its failure, although substance would have as well had Sen. Reid actually brought his bill up for debate or a vote,” Murkowski said.
“The truth is he saw the writing on the wall. The Republican proposal is far more responsible and far less costly than the Democrat bill,” Murkowski said. “The Majority Leader didn’t pull his bill because of Republican opposition, he pulled it because his fellow Democrats were deserting him, planning to vote against it and supported the concepts of the Republican bill.”
“Instead of playing the blame game, the Majority Leader should have allowed an open and transparent process where both sides could have contributed,” Murkowski said. “I look forward to having a full and open debate on a bill to help the Gulf residents and reform MMS in the fall, as the Majority Leader has suggested.”
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