Jay Inslee: Washington's 1st Congressional District
Issues
Pipeline Safety
Inslee Calls for Pipeline Safety in Congress
May 16, 2001
Today U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee joined Senator Patty Murray and U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen to call for pipeline safety movement in the House of Representatives. Nearly 100 days have passed since the Senate passed pipeline safety legislation, but there have been no House-side hearings, committee markups or votes on pipeline legislation at all.
Said Inslee, "The Republican Leadership's refusal to move legislation after three deaths in Bellingham and scores of deaths in New Mexico is an outrage. The House has been in session six months, and there have been no hearings, no votes, no action. Not only the families of the victims, but everyone who lives along a pipeline has a right to be outraged. Sen. Murray has done a good job of strengthening the pipeline bill in the Senate, and there is no reason why the House shouldn't also move in that direction." Inslee added, "Unfortunately, we have had a lack of leadership in the White House as well. President Bush needs to come to the realization that he doesn't work for oil and gas anymore, he works for us."
"Just last week a pipeline in Renton, WA burst under hydrostatic testing. This is a perfect example of why pipelines should be tested regularly; it is much better for neighbors of the pipeline to discover a leak via water pressure testing, than to one day have a gasoline leak in their front yards. Every neighborhood in America deserves the confidence in the safety of their pipeline as those residents of Renton have now."