The Hill News

This week, Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) is conducting a hearing on legislation to address the BP Gulf Oil Spill disaster and assess petroleum reserves off our coasts.

Unfortunately, the mark-up presents an opportunity for oil and gas industry allies to offer amendments that would actually weaken drilling protections. It seems Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) may be poised to do just that, and pay back his big oil campaign contributors.

Earlier this year, Sen. Barrasso voted to keep in place $21 billion in taxpayer handouts over 10 years to the oil and gas industry. That same week, he introduced S. 1027, legislation to rollback common sense reforms that protect land, water and air supplies, and recreational resources on public lands.

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