WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) today issued the following statement regarding the Obama administration’s decision to lift its ban on deepwater oil and gas drilling:

“Although I am glad the President finally lifted the ban on offshore drilling, I remain concerned that bureaucratic red tape and administrative hurdles continue to increase uncertainty in the energy industry. We need to ensure that the policies coming from Washington do not lead to more pink slips for the thousands of Americans working in the energy sector. I urge the Interior Department to back up its words with actions and not create another de facto moratorium as we have seen with shallow water drilling.

“Americans need a balanced energy approach that includes the production of our domestic oil and natural gas resources. I will continue to monitor the ongoing developments with offshore drilling to make sure we are producing our domestic resources in a safe and responsible way.”

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