are we in a moratoria? is it a special delay of its own? if that is the case and as i understand your comments at the time this moratoria was put in place, alaska was being viewed differently. but what we had asked for was that there be a press that would ensure that permits didn't lapse, leases didn't toll and shell would be able to have sufficient photos to do the redeployment, to make sure that all those assets that they're counting on for any knd of a response are able to be deployable. so if we're kind of in this limbo where we don't know when if, it's going to be very difficult to re-engage any level of operation offshore. so i'must looking for some clarification as to our status. the 600 people who are not working this summer as they had hoped are looking for some clarification of status. and we're hopeful that with all the work that shell has done, all the scrutiny that they have received, not only from mms and every agency from the coast guard to the epa, through every level of the judicial process, that the plan that they have pro

. >> the consequences of this moratoria on the 33 deepwater riggs where 100 to 200 people work on each one and for every one on the rig, there are four or five jobs directly supporting that job , not counting the 10,000 jobs . this could be devastating. to our state. and to the gulf coast. >> lehrer: at another hearing, democratic senators called for raising the liability cap on oil companies. florida democrat bill nelson: >> we come to you with a simple little proposal, and that is that the person who makes the mistake ought to be responsible . and if the penalty is that they are going to be responsible and have to pay , they're sure going to be a lot more careful. about what they're doing. >> lehrer: but republican kit bond of missouri said it would be too costly for small companies. >> i regret to say that this bill should be calledded the big oil gulf monopoly bill. the menendez bill would make operating in the gulf so expensive that only big companies could afford it giving them a virtual monopoly in the gulf. >> lehrer: in the meantime, members of the house began working on their