In 1981, Congress acted to protect America's shores, beaches, and marine ecosystems by adopting a moratorium on oil and gas development in coastal waters. Congress has continued this protection every year since then.

During Senate consideration of the Fiscal 2009 budget resolution, Senator David Vitter (R-LA) offered a motion to instruct conferees to insist that conference report language be adjusted to allow governors, with the concurrence of their state legislatures, to petition for allowing increased drilling along their beaches and shorelines.

On May 25, the Senate rejected the Vitter motion to instruct by a 44-51 vote (Senate roll call vote 134). NO IS THE PRO-ENVIRONMENT VOTE. The moratorium on offshore drilling was later allowed to expire in the continuing budget resolution.