David Rivera Joins Vern Buchanan's Effort to Stop Cuba Drilling Off Florida

U.S. Rep. David Rivera signed on to a bill introduced by his fellow Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan looking to prevent an effort, backed by Cuba, to drill for oil off the coast of Florida.

The Deepwater Horizon oil spill hurt the economy of my state, said Rivera, who is co-sponsoring the measure.It especially affected the tourism and fishing industries that employ so many people in Florida.

While we try to prevent another similar disaster from occurring off our coasts, other countries are preparing to drill much closer to American shores without the same concern for safety, added Rivera.

I expressed my concerns about the need for additional international standards so that the United States does everything possible to ensure that a spill from a Cuban oil rig does not adversely affect the people of Florida, continued Rivera, referring to a Natural Resources Committee meeting where he raised the topic. We also need to be cognizant of the fact that if that rig is built by the Cuban dictatorship, they are not going to abide by the same safety standards as American rigs.We have to develop additional oil-spill capabilities that can be used in the Gulf, as well as off the coast of Southeast Florida.