(Washington,
D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) released the following
statement after the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee approved S.
3305, The Big Oil Bailout Prevention Act of 2010, to lift the $75
million liability cap on oil polluters like BP. Senator Murray is a co-sponsor
of this legislation and has spoken
on the Senate floor urging passage.
“I am pleased that
today the Senate moved one step closer to protecting Washington state taxpayers
and holding BP accountable for the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
“I co-sponsored the Big
Oil Bailout Prevention Act because, to me, it is clear that the taxpayers
should not bear the burden of big oil’s mistakes. To me, this is an issue
of fairness. If an oil company causes a spill, they should be the one to
pay to clean it up.
“And it is important to
pass this legislation to make sure BP keeps their word to cover the costs
associated with this disaster. As a Senator from the Pacific Northwest, I have
seen first-hand with the Exxon Valdez oil spill what happens when big oil is
allowed to make promises and not required to take action. When the Exxon Valdez
oil spill happened in 1989, I remember that company assuring the public that
the economic and environmental damage would be paid for. And then I remember
them fighting tooth and nail to deny fishermen and families the compensation
they were due.
“Republicans have
already blocked similar legislation every time we have brought it up – now four
times. I can only hope that the next time we
try to pass this important legislation the outcome will be different.
“I
am extremely disappointed that Republicans today blocked another bill I
cosponsored, Senator Shaheen’s bill (S. 3462) to
provide subpoena power to the panel charged with investigating the cause of the
BP oil spill, the National Commission on the BP
Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
“We
cannot forget the workers who were killed and injured in this tragedy, and we
must do them justice by determining what caused the explosion on the Deepwater
Horizon. We need to learn the lessons of this disaster to make sure that
every worker is treated properly and protected from harm. And allowing the
Commission to force BP to turn over files related to the disaster is the way to
do that.
“After
this latest example of Republican obstruction, it is clear who is on the side
of families, workers, and coastal businesses, and who is on the side of big oil
company profits.”
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