Pelosi wants House to act on oil spill legislation by early August

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Pelosi sets strict deadline for spill legislation

WASHINGTON — House Democrats were given a strict deadline Tuesday to act on oil spill legislation, as Speaker Nancy Pelosi sought to gain the initiative while many Americans are frustrated with the government’s response to the Gulf gusher.

Joining President Barack Obama’s moves to go on the offensive, Pelosi told her committee chairmen to produce legislation by July 4 to cope with the spill and prevent future environmental disasters.

The House would then act on the bills before Congress’ summer recess, set to begin Aug. 9, a leadership aide said.

Pelosi and Democratic committee chairmen said legislative reforms could address changes in the Interior Department’s Minerals Management Service, which has been too close to the companies it’s supposed to regulate; a huge increase in the $75 million federal liability cap for spill damages under federal law; increased protection of oil industry workers; and better readiness and response times.

Meanwhile, Senate Democrats Tuesday proposed a fivefold increase in the tax that oil companies pay into a spill liability fund. The legislation would raise the tax on oil produced offshore from 8 cents to 41 cents per barrel — 7 cents higher than legislation that passed the House last month.

On a day when Obama said he had met with fishermen and oil spill experts “so I know whose ass to kick,” Pelosi sat around a table with the chairmen as they took turns making oil giant BP — and Republicans — the enemy. Many Democrats face tough off-year elections at a time many Americans are frustrated with the slow response in containing the spill.

Pelosi said, “Democrats tried to rein in big oil over time” while Republicans “have always protected big oil.”

Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., said BP officials were either “lying or grossly incompetent” when they initially gave lowball numbers for the gallons of oil leaking into the Gulf.

“They were trying to lower their liability,” said Markey, chairman of a special committee on energy independence and global warming. “They get fined per barrel per day. They got lawyered up. They were told not to tell the truth.”

Markey said the lowball numbers initially had a major impact on the number of booms used to contain the oil, measures to protect workers and chemicals shot into the Gulf of Mexico.

Rep. James Oberstar, D-Minn., the Transportation Committee chairman, said BP had a bad record under the Republicans, and had to be fined for safety violations.

Rep. Henry Waxman, chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, said BP “seemed to be focused on public relations problems and avoiding legal liability.”