releases: http://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/following-cicilline-request-president-bars-offshore-oil-and-gas-drilling
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| url | title | date | year | month | party | chamber | state | member_name | bioguide_id | domain | scraper | source | date_source | text | has_text | collected_at | updated_at |
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| http://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/following-cicilline-request-president-bars-offshore-oil-and-gas-drilling | Following Cicilline Request, President Bars Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling | 2016-12-22 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | RI | David Cicilline | C001084 | cicilline.house.gov | legacy | PAWTUCKET – U.S. Congressman David N. Cicilline (D-RI), who in September asked President Obama to use the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act of 1953 to withdraw both the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans from any future offshore oil and gas leasing, today applauded the President for following this course to permanently preserve critical natural resources just one month before he leaves office. “Protecting our coastlines sends a powerful signal about America’s commitment to protect our environment and address the urgent challenges of climate change,” said Cicilline, who – along with more than 70 of his House Democratic colleagues – urged the President to take action in a letter last September. “All of us have a responsibility to be good stewards of this planet. We do not need, and we cannot afford, the risks that additional offshore drilling presents to our environment. I am grateful that the President listened to our request and has taken this critical action.” As requested by Cicilline and his colleagues, the President invoked section 12(a) of the 63-year old Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to unilaterally and indefinitely preserve coastline stretching from Virginia to Maine, as well as in Alaska. The move, which coincided with the Canadian government’s announcement that it will also halt drilling in the Arctic Ocean, is expected to prevent the incoming Trump administration from opening the shores of Rhode Island and other coastal states to drilling. President-elect Trump, who has openly mocked climate change as a hoax and recently tapped Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson to serve as Secretary of State, has already indicated his willingness to make fossil fuel expansion an important element of his domestic agenda. Unlike an executive order, which the incoming President could reverse, Tuesday’s announcement exerts an authority that was expressly granted to the President by Congress in the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act. This week’s announcement by the President builds on Cicilline’s record as one of the leading champions of environmental preservation in the U.S. House of Representatives. During his time in office, the First District Congressman has established a strong record on issues important to Rhode Island environmental activists. He has worked to strengthen the Land and Water Conservation Fund, strongly supported President Obama’s Climate Action Plan, and worked to ensure Rhode Island gets the federal resources it needs to take on climate change. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |