A Wisconsin Congressman wants BP to shell out $25 billion right away to deal with the clean-up and economic impact of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. U.S. Representative Steve Kagen (D-WI) is introducing a bill that would force BP to pay up, in order to ensure that taxpayers don’t foot the bill for a disaster the company has admitted responsibility for.
Kagen says the president of BP told Congress last month that the company is at fault for the explosion and subsequent oil leak. He says business owners along the Gulf Coast are dealing with a catastrophic situation, but they still have to pay their bills while they’re effectively shut down because of the oil.
Kagen says there are new estimates that show the clean-up could top $25 billion, and taxpayers shouldn’t be responsible for that.