On Wednesday, June 30th the Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works (EPW) will mark up two pieces of oil spill legislation, both introduced in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon disaster. The committee will consider S. 3305, The Big Oil Bailout Prevention Liability Act, which was introduced by Senator Robert Menendez (NJ) on May 4th.  S. 3305 would lift the oil spill liability cap for economic damages incurred by people put out of work from $75 million to $10 billion.

In May Democrats failed twice to pass the bill on the Senate floor by unanimous consent. Their attempts were met by resistance from Republicans who believe such a steep increase in liability would make insurance costs prohibitive to all but the largest of oil companies. Earlier this month at a legislative hearing Senator Menendez remarked that “there is no such thing as a ‘Too Big to Spill’ oil well, which is why we need this economic protection in place.” Tomorrow EPW will also consider S. 3515, the Department of Interior Research and Technologies for Oil Spill Prevention and Response Act of 2010, sponsored by Senator Jeanne Shaheen (NH). S. 3515 would set up a new Interior Department program to research oil spill prevention, detection and response and would also authorize grants to universities to conduct related research. The Senate EPW mark up is scheduled for 9am on Wednesday June 30th in 406 Dirksen. The committee will also consider other water related legislation, including a suite of six environmental restoration bills aimed at healing some of the nation’s great waters.

Also on Wednesday the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will meet to vote on S. 3516, the Outer Continental Shelf Reform Act of 2010, a bipartisan bill sponsored by Chairman Jeff Bingaman (NM) and ranking member Lisa Murkowski (AK) . S. 3516 would increase safety requirements for drilling wells, establish new research programs, create an independent advisory board for the newly organized Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement and increase the time the agency has to carry out reviews before approving exploration plans, create a fee on companies to pay for inspections, and increase the penalties on bad operators. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee mark up is scheduled for 9:30am on Wednesday, June 30 in 366 Dirksen.

On the House side, Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee Chairman James Oberstar (MN-8) is scheduled to mark up the Oil Spill Accountability and Environmental Protection Act of 2010 on Thursday. Oberstar has yet to introduce his legislation, but it is likely to address raising the $75 million oil spill liability cap, raising minimum insurance requirements for drillers, and other oil spill related concerns. The T&I mark up is scheduled for 11am on Thursday, July 1 in 2167 Rayburn.

In other oil spill legislation news, last week the House voted overwhelmingly to give subpoena power to the seven-member panel investigating the Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. H.R. 5481, was approved by a vote of 420 - 1; Representative Ron Paul of Texas was the only opponent. This bill authorizes the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling to issue subpoenas to compel the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of books, records, correspondence, memoranda, and other documents. The National Commission was created by President Obama through an executive order, but the Administration lacks subpoena authority and Congressional action is required to grant such authority. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (NH) has introduced similar legislation in the Senate.

Also last week, the House Judiciary Committee approved legislation to modify archaic laws that limit potential liability for responsible parties for their role in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster. H.R. 5503, the Securing Protections for the Injured from Limitations on Liability Act will make it easier for families of killed rig workers to collect damages, ranging from pain and suffering to the loss of care, comfort and companionship. It would also strengthen current bankruptcy rules to make it more difficult for BP to escape its financial liability and it would clarify class-action rules so that states affected by the spill can pursue claims in their own courts.