OMB nominee still on hold as Landrieu pushes drilling

Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., said Wednesday she does not intend to lift her hold on the nomination of Jacob Lew to head the Office of Management and Budget until the White House lifts or alters its deep-water oil-and-gas-drilling moratorium.

"My hold on Mr. Lew's nomination will remain for the same reason it was placed originally: the administration has not acted to lift its ill-conceived moratoria on offshore drilling that are having such a devastating impact on working people and small businesses throughout the Gulf Coast," she said in a release.

Senate Democrats had hoped to be able to clear Lew's nomination before adjourning ahead of the midterm elections, but Landrieu's hold has scuttled those plans.

"Everyone, especially those who live along the coast, wants offshore energy production safety standards strengthened," she said. "But we have been able to demonstrate that the oil and gas industry can improve safety progressively over time, without a complete work stoppage."

The White House has estimated that as many as 12,000 workers could be laid off as a result of the drilling moratorium, which has been in place since May 27. The ban was prompted by the BP oil spill that began with an explosion on a deep-water drilling rig.