(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Senator David Vitter today issued the following statement on the status of the OCS bill:

          “This week was a crucial opportunity to secure Louisiana’s fair share of offshore oil and gas royalties.  I spent the week pushing the Senate leadership and working the phones with my former colleges in the House, trying to help broker a compromise to end the current stalemate on the OCS bill. 

          While I was working with others to break the logjam between the House and Senate, others in our delegation chose to divert their time and energy by blaming others.   As early as Wednesday, various members were sending out press releases and conducting television and radio interviews accusing various political parties for the impasse.  This was not the time to give up or point fingers, but the time to go into overdrive.

          As we continue to work on this key legislation, it’s not the time to attack the other party or the other chamber, or to take extreme measures like placing holds on dozens of unrelated bills.  This will kill our chances, not improve them.

          While we fell short this week, I still believe that we are closer than ever to enacting historic legislation which would give Louisiana its fair share of offshore royalties.  When we come back to Washington later this year, I hope all of us in the Louisiana delegation will return with a renewed spirit and commitment and leave egos at home, ” said Sen. Vitter.