Gulf Coast Dem Still Backs Oil Drilling, Says Spill is not Katrina

[Geee]

The Hill:

Gulf Coast Dem still backs oil drilling, says spill is not Katrina
By Vicki Needham - 05/29/10 12:58 PM ET

Despite frustration over industry response to the oil spill, Mississippi Rep. Gene Taylor (D) continues to back oil drilling as part of a reduction in the nation's dependence on imported supplies.

"I was for offshore drilling, and I remain for offshore drilling," Taylor, who represents the coastal 4th District, told WLOX News on Saturday.

Despite opposition by many Americans to offshore drilling, Taylor said opinion on the issue sways as the price of gasoline rises and falls.

He also urged anyone to avoid making comparisons of the oil spill's devastation to Hurricane Katrina, which slammed into the Gulf Coast in 2005.

"This is not Katrina. This is terrible, but this is not Katrina," he said. "There will not be 47,000 Mississippi families homeless tonight as there were the night after Katrina."

Taylor criticized the oil companies inability to plug the gushing oil well, as British Petroleum attempts this weekend to stop oil from leaking into the Gulf's waters.

"The oil companies are supposed to have a plan in place to keep this from happening and a place in place to respond immediately," he said. "Obviously, they did not keep it from happening and their response thus far has been inadequate."