Rep. Charlie Melancon (D-LA) released the following statement today on House Minority Leader John Boehner’s comments on who should pay for the oil spill disaster:
BP has put the livelihoods and well-being of thousands of Louisiana families and businesses at risk because of this spill. Yet Senator David Vitter and his allies continue to stick up for a BP bailout, letting BP off the hook and leaving the American people to foot the bill. Whether it’s John Boehner or David Vitter, I just don’t agree that taxpayers should bailout oil companies during this or any other oil spill.
BP should be no less than 100 percent responsible for the damage they’ve caused and the lives they’ve ruined. BP-not taxpayers-should be held fully responsible for all the damage they’ve done.
Senator David Vitter has introduced legislation that caps oil companies’ liability in the event of an oil spill, limiting their financial responsibility for oil spill damages to as little as $150 million and leaving taxpayers on the hook for the rest. BP estimates the Deepwater Horizon disaster has cost over $1 billion for cleanup alone. That figure excludes the cost of damages and recovery.
