Perlmutter Calls on BP to Take More Responsibility for Dangerous Actions

Washington, DC – More than two months after the catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico , oil from the BP Deepwater Horizon offshore drill is still gushing. Today, U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter continued his call for BP to take responsibility for their dangerous, irresponsible and destructive actions by voting to give subpoena power to the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling (HR 5481).

The Commission will determine ways to prevent future spills resulting from offshore drilling and mitigate any impact.

“Subpoena power will ensure the bipartisan Commission cannot be stonewalled by BP or any other entity in its search for answers and can get testimony from crucial participants, like those who spotted a dangerous leak signaling a problem with the blowout preventer prior to the explosion,” said Perlmutter.

Additionally, Perlmutter is a co-sponsor of the Big Oil Bailout Prevention Act (HR 5214) to raise the liability caps on oil companies from $75 million to $10 billion per catastrophe to cover the full costs of clean up and economic damages to the small businesses, tax payers, natural resources, and property, during or after a spill.

“The buck stops with the oil companies. Taxpayers cannot and should not be responsible for footing the bill for this reckless behavior. All energy companies must develop and implement secure, reliable safety plans to prevent the kind of catastrophe we are experiencing right now in the Gulf,” said Perlmutter.