Obama pledges to stand by Gulf Coast residents
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U.S. President Barack Obama pledged Saturday that he will stand by the Gulf of Mexico residents until the region fully recovered from the BP oil spill during a weekend trip in Florida with his family.
In a brief speech following a meeting with business and tourism leaders in Panama City Beach, Florida, Obama said that while the leaking BP oil well has been capped, "our job is not finished and we're not going anywhere until it is. That's a message I wanted to come here and deliver directly to the people along the Gulf Coast. "
"I will not be satisfied until the environment is restored, no matter how long it takes."
The president made a pitch for tourists to visit the Gulf Coast. He said: "Beaches all along the Gulf Coast are clean, they are safe, and they are open for business," he said, adding other tourists should "come on down here."
"Not just to support the region. Come down here just because it 's a beautiful place to visit."
Seafood from the region will continue to be monitored to ensure its safety, Obama said, and officials will make sure that BP pays damage claims to those affected by the spill.
"We need to make sure claims are processed quickly," he said. " Any delay by BP or those managing the new funds are unacceptable, and I will keep pushing to get these claims expedited."
It is the fifth time Obama has visited the Gulf Coast since BP' s deep-sea Macondo well in the Gulf of Mexico ruptured in April, which caused the biggest environmental disaster that the U.S. has ever faced.
No oil has leaked into the Gulf of Mexico since July 15, when BP placed a tight-fitting cap over the broken well, which has spewed an estimated 4.9 million barrels of oil since April 20.
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