COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina's newest Democratic congressman is revamping an anti-offshore drilling effort championed by his Republican predecessor.
U.S. Rep. Joe Cunningham says Tuesday he's reintroducing a proposed 10-year moratorium on offshore oil and gas drilling.
The Coastal Economies Protection Act was previously introduced by former GOP Congressman Mark Sanford, but it languished in a committee.
Last fall, Cunningham became the first Democrat to flip a South Carolina congressional seat in more than 30 years. Much of his campaign focused on his opposition to offshore drilling, and he built a coalition of bipartisan support.
On Monday, Cunningham applauded South Carolina's Republican attorney general for joining a legal effort to oppose the Trump administration's plans to expand drilling off the Atlantic Coast.
