Strategic Production Response Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. MACE. Mr. Chair, I rise today to offer my amendment No. 133, and I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this amendment.

I thank Chairwoman Rodgers for introducing this legislation today and working with me, and our staff working together as well to support this amendment.

It will not only benefit our environment and the Lowcountry of South Carolina, but our world-class tourism economy as well. This is the first time in 7 years that Congress has had this modified open rule to allow legislators to provide and put forth amendments on a piece of legislation like this.

Before I ever came to Congress, I was a State lawmaker, and on my fourth day in I filed my first piece of legislation which was a resolution to ban offshore drilling off of South Carolina's coast, a completely bipartisan issue in the State legislature of South Carolina. It was something our Governor also supported.

Our beaches are clean, our water is clean, our air is clean. Our beaches are lined with gold, and South Carolina as a State does not want to see any opportunity for drilling off of its coast.

It is a passion of mine, a policy that I have worked on for a number of years as a State lawmaker, and now in Congress I have the opportunity to continue this body of work. The tourism industry really relies on a great, clean and healthy environment in South Carolina. In fact, it contributes over $20 billion a year to our economy. It provides thousands of jobs. The Lowcountry in South Carolina is really such an enormous part of our economy.

In 2020, the Department of the Interior issued a 10-year moratorium on offshore drilling in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. In fact, I was there that day in Jupiter, Florida, when the former President announced this 10-year moratorium. It is so important. Lindsey Graham and I and many, many others were there in attendance supporting that moratorium.

This amendment is simple. It ensures that the moratorium is not affected by the underlying language in the legislation. It protects South Carolina's coastline, which every South Carolinian and visitor to our State knows is vital to our livelihoods and our economy.

Mr. Chair, I yield to Chairwoman Rodgers.

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Ms. MACE. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

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