PRESS RELEASE
Date: October 7, 2019
From: South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce
Subject: Klobuchar, Yang, Steyer, Castro, Gabbard, Buttigieg Failing Litmus Test
Contact: Frank Knapp, President/CEO, 803-252-5733 (w), 803-600-6874 (c),
fknapp@scsbc.org
Six Democratic presidential candidates asked for Day One commitment
Columbia, SC—On October 15th twelve candidates will participate in the next Democratic presidential debate. Half have of these candidates have failed the Day One action plan litmus test on offshore drilling for oil established in April by the South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce (SCSBCC).
The Day One action plan is the commitment to use an executive order to ban all new oil drilling leases on public lands and waters on the first day in office. This is a litmus test South Carolina voters will use to determine if a candidate is serious about protecting the Atlantic Coast from offshore drilling.
“We have sent letters to the campaigns of Klobuchar, Yang, Steyer, Castro, Gabbard and Buttigieg asking that they commit to this first day executive order,” said Frank Knapp Jr., president and CEO of the SCSBCC. “Three of these candidates—Yang, Castro and Buttigieg—have proposed banning new oil drilling leases on public lands and waters but are missing the essential use of an executive order on their first day to turn aspirational words into immediate action.”
“Unfortunately, Klobuchar, Gabbard and Steyer have not even addressed the issue of new oil drilling leases on public lands and waters,” Knapp said.
The SCSCBB has asked these candidates to address this issue on or before the October 15 debate.
Read the letter to Yang, Castro and Buttigieg and the letter to Klobuchar, Gabbard and Steyer below.
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The South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce is a statewide advocacy organization founded in 2000. With over 10,000 small business and entrepreneur supporters, it has successfully worked to make South Carolina more small business friendly in areas such as healthcare, taxation, regulation, worker training, energy/conservation, workers’ compensation and economic development.
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Letter to Yang, Castro and Buttigieg:
October 5, 2019
As we approach the next Democratic presidential debate on October 15th, there is an important issue that we would ask you to address.
Since April our organization has been encouraging the candidates to commit to a Day One action plan of issuing an executive order on their first day in office to ban all new oil drilling leases on public lands and waters. Our primary interest is blocking offshore drilling for oil in the Atlantic, which would devastate our tourism, commercial fishing and recreation coastal economies.
You have already indicated that you would ban new oil drilling leases on public lands and waters. However, it is critical that your proposal clearly state that this action would take place by executive order on your inauguration day. This clarification of your proposal will clearly demonstrate how you will turn your aspirational words into immediate action.
Senator Warren, Vice President Biden, Senator Sanders, Senator Booker, Senator Harris and former Congressman O’Rourke have publicly stated their commitment to this Day One action plan.
This is an extremely important issue for South Carolina’s coastal residents who will be using the Day One action plan commitment as a litmus test for their voting decision next February.
We ask that you offer this clarification of your proposal before or during the October 15 Democratic presidential debate.
Please let me know if your campaign has any questions.
Sincerely,
Frank Knapp Jr.
President & CEO
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Letter to Klobuchar, Gabbard and Steyer:
October 5, 2019
As we approach the next Democratic presidential debate on October 15th, there is an important issue that we would ask you to address.
Since April our organization has been encouraging the candidates to commit to a Day One action plan of issuing an executive order on their first day in office to ban all new oil drilling leases on public lands and waters. Our primary interest is blocking offshore drilling for oil in the Atlantic, which would devastate our tourism, commercial fishing and recreation coastal economies.
We ask that you publicly commit to this Day One action plan as Senator Warren, Vice President Biden, Senator Sanders, Senator Booker, Senator Harris and former Congressman O’Rourke have done.
Some other candidates have indicated that they would ban new oil drilling leases on public lands and waters. However, it is critical that such a proposal clearly state that this action would take place by executive order on inauguration day. This demonstrates how aspirational words will be turned into immediate action.
This is an extremely important issue for South Carolina’s coastal residents who will be using the Day One action plan commitment as a litmus test for their voting decision next February.
We ask that you publicly address this issue before or during the October 15 Democratic presidential debate.
Please let me know if your campaign has any questions.
Sincerely,
Frank Knapp Jr.
President & CEO