Congress to Let Loose Deluge of Oil Spill Hearings This Week – CQ Homeland Security
The floodgates of congressional oversight are set to open on the federal response to the recent Gulf Coast oil spill, with nearly a half-dozen hearings scheduled for this week alone.
The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will start the action, with a 2:30 p.m. Monday hearing featuring Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Rear Adm. Peter V. Neffenger, deputy national incident commander for the Coast Guard.
Committee staff say the hearing will examine the plans and preparations that were in place before the spill and won’t be limited to federal readiness: A second witness panel will feature Lamar McKay, chairman and president of BP America Inc.
During a hearing last week, members of the Senate Homeland Security Subcommittee on Disaster Recovery touched on the need to review the resources available for oil spills.
