Obama: ‘BP Is Responsible For This Leak’
Visiting the Gulf Coast yesterday, President Obama said of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico: “So let me be clear. BP is responsible for this leak. BP will be paying the bill.” Obama also defended the government’s response, saying that they had “coordinated an all hands on deck relentless response to this crisis from day one,” and would “spare no effort” in the future.
Obama’s Day Ahead
President Obama will receive his daily briefing at 12 p.m. ET. He will deliver remarks at 4 p.m. ET, at the Commander in Chief Trophy Presentation with the Naval Academy. He will host a dinner for the Business Council at 6:45 p.m. ET.
Biden’s Day Ahead
Vice President Biden will be in Wilmington, Delaware, this afternoon. At 2:45 p.m. ET, Biden and his family will attend a ceremony to dedicate the Family Room in the Compassionate Care Hospice Inpatient Unit at St. Francis Hospital in memory of Jean Biden. Later, Biden will attend the dedication of the Delaware Law Enforcement Memorial on the Legislative Mall in Dover, Delaware, where he will deliver remarks at 6:30 p.m. ET in honor of fallen officers and their families. He will return to Washington in the evening.
Scott Brown Aiding GOP Candidates In Hawaii, Pennsylvania
The Washington Post reports that Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) is helping the campaigns of Republican House candidates Charles Djou and Tim Burns in their special elections this month in Hawaii and Pennsylvania. “While his focus remains on his official Senate responsibilities and serving the people of Massachusetts, Senator Brown has a unique understanding of the dynamics of special elections,” said Brown’s communications director, Gail Gitcho.
U.S. Pushing To Deter Mideast Nuclear Race
The New York Times reports that the Obama administration is using this week’s United Nations conference on nuclear weapons to try to stop a nuclear arms race in the Middle East, which could take place if Iran were to acquire an atomic bomb: “In recent months, diplomats have been holding meetings in Washington and shuttling to the Middle East in pursuit of agreements that will let countries develop nuclear power while relinquishing the right to make atomic fuel that could be turned into bombs.”
Analysis: Medical Interests Spent $876 Million Lobbying On Health Care Reform
Roll Call reports that medical interests spent more than $876 million lobbying on health care reform, from January 2009 to March 2010: “Those stakeholders, including the drug industry, doctors, hospitals and manufacturers of medical products, were responsible for one out of every five dollars doled out on lobbying during that period, according to a CQ MoneyLine analysis of lobbying disclosure reports filed with Congress. While health care has historically been an issue that has drawn intense lobbying, even some veterans of Capitol Hill expressed astonishment at the big bucks lavished during the 15-month slog.”
Cardin Wants New Offshore Drilling ‘Off The Table’
Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) is calling for any new offshore oil drilling to be ruled out in the upcoming energy bill, in light of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. “What I hope is that the offshore drilling along with the Atlantic and the Gulf, that area is off the table, and there’s no expanded drilling in those areas,” Cardin said during an appearance on the Bill Press radio show.
