During a Full Committee markup of the CLEAR Act (H.R. 3534), Rep. Louie Gohmert (TX-01) offered an amendment to prohibit unionized, government oil rig inspectors from striking and walking off the job.  The amendment failed 19-26. Click here for the roll call.

“Since the tragic Deepwater Horizon accident in April, everyone has been rightly concerned about making sure that offshore drilling operations are the safest in the world.  This amendment is crucial in order to help achieve that goal.  We depend on these inspectors to ensure that operations are safe and that standards are meant,” said Rep. Gohmert.  “An offshore inspector stands like a military sentry between disaster and our homeland.  To put political pandering ahead of saving lives, livelihoods, innocent wildlife and the environment is simply unbelievable.”

“As we have learned, an offshore inspector’s job is too important and the risks too great for government employees to be able to walk off the job,” said Ranking Member Hastings.  “This is about ensuring that the American people and the environment are protected.”

Background

The only unionized branch of the former Minerals Management Service (MMS) is the offshore drilling inspectors.  This amendment recognized the importance of always having inspectors on the job without threat of striking by simply stating that an individual inspecting American energy production may not participate in a strike.

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