[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 10] [House] [Pages 13588-13589] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]BP'S RESPONSIBILITY TO SOUTH FLORIDA COMMUNITIES CONTINUES The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) is recognized for 5 minutes. Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, last week, as we know, BP announced that it had capped the oil well, and that for the first time in more than 80 days oil had stopped gushing into the Gulf of Mexico. While last week's announcement was cause for relief among many, I have since urged cautious optimism. Much work remains to be done to address the worst environmental disaster that this country has seen in recent memory. BP is still responsible for ensuring that every last drop of oil is removed from the gulf. BP still has a financial responsibility to those residents in the gulf coast, particularly in my congressional district of the Florida Keys, who remain financially devastated from the public perception, however false it may be, of tar ball-covered beaches and oil-soaked fish. Despite promises of improvement, however, the BP claims process has not improved. I support legislation introduced by my friend, Congressman Charlie Melancon, to tax-exempt BP claims checks. It is the least we can do for those small business owners who continue to suffer to this day, mom and pop fishing charters. They must provide years' worth of financial data in order to prove the possibility of economic injury as a result of the spill. {time} 1650 Of course, this data does not truly explain the current hardship. For years, Keys fishermen have struggled with hurricanes, tropical storms, unnecessary fishing closures, and a sluggish tourist economy. This year, 2010, was supposed to represent the light at the end of the tunnel. Unfortunately, the gulf oil spill has dashed those hopes. Charter boat captains in the Keys have lost more than half of their businesses this summer due to the oil spill perception. My constituent, an Islamorada charter boat captain, Larry Wren, was denied financial compensation by BP. Captain Wren provided all the necessary tax documents, proof of cancellations, and even his trip logs from the past few years. After being informed that he was eligible for assistance, BP claims officials have reversed their position. BP says it will no longer pay the claim because oil has yet to reach the Florida Keys' shoreline, if it ever will. I say shame on BP. BP must be held to task. The company's responsibility to all financially impacted gulf coast residents and businesses will not go away once the relief well is completed. Now, earlier today, I voted on legislation to increase Federal research on the potential hazards posed by technologies used to counter the oil spill. I have long voiced my concerns about the use of chemical dispersants in such a sensitive marine ecosystem. BP contends that the chemical it is using to break down the oil is safe, but the fact remains that this dispersant has never been used in such vast quantities. [[Page 13589]] Keys commercial fishermen, whose season kicks off later this year, are also concerned about the long-term consequences of dispersants on the overall health of the fishery. Members of the environmental community are also worried about the potential harm caused by these chemicals on our already fragile coral reefs. As BP works toward a permanent fix to the leak in the Gulf of Mexico, it is essential that Congress and all Federal agencies continue to place pressure on this oil giant to address both the environmental and the financial aspects of this disaster. ____________________