Boehner Says Barton Will Remain Ranking Member

Robert Hune-Kalter-Talk Radio News Service

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) told reporters Wednesday that Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) will continue to serve as Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee despite the Texas Republican’s widely criticized apology to BP.

“Joe Barton recanted his apology to BP last week, and apologized to colleagues today,” Boehner said during a press briefing at the Republican National Committee headquarters.

The White House had suggested that House Republicans reconsider Barton’s status, pointing out that it may be unwise to let somebody with the Congressman’s views to have such a prominent voice in shaping energy policy.

Boehener was joined at the briefing by House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) and Republican Conference Chair Mike Pence (R-Ind.). The Republican leaders blasted the Democrats’ for declining to submit a budget.

Barton’s apology came during BP CEO Tony Hayward’s Capitol Hill appearance last week. Barton described the White House’s attempt to have BP set up a $20 billion escrow account to handle claims arising from the Gulf Coast spill as a “shakedown.”

“I do not want to live in a country where any time a citizen or a corporation does something that is legitimately wrong is subject to some sort of political pressure that … amounts to a shakedown. So I apologize,” Barton said.

Barton Apologizes For Apologizing To BP

Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas), the ranking Republican member on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, now says he is sorry for apologizing to BP CEO Tony Hayward during an intensely-watched hearing this morning.

Before Hayward began his prepared remarks to the committee, Barton told him “I’m ashamed of what happened in the White House yesterday," referring to an agreement reached between BP and the White House to establish a $20 billion independently-managed escrow account to handle the claims filed against the company. He added, “I do not want to live in a country where any time a citizen or a corporation does something that is legitimately wrong is subject to some sort of political pressure that…amounts to a shakedown. So I apologize.”

Democrats pounced on Barton as soon as the news of his comments broke. "House Republicans continue to side with Big Oil over the needs of the American people," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). Vice President Joe Biden told White House reporters he found Barton's remarks "incredibly insensitive, incredibly out of touch." Press Secretary Robert Gibbs later said the President had been made aware of the comments, and replied that he could not "understand why anyone would say that.”

In all likelihood, it was such blow-back that prompted Barton to issue the following statement:

“I apologize for using the term ‘shakedown’ with regard to yesterday’s actions at the White House in my opening statement this morning, and I retract my apology to BP. As I told my colleagues yesterday and said again this morning, BP should bear the full financial responsibility for the accident on their lease in the Gulf of Mexico. BP should fully compensate those families and businesses that have been hurt by this accident. BP and the federal government need to stop the leak, clean up the damage, and take whatever steps necessary to prevent a similar accident in the future. “I regret the impact that my statement this morning implied that BP should not pay for the consequences of their decisions and actions in this incident.”

House Bill Aims To Sack College Football BCS System

Travis Martinez, University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

The House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection Wednesday approved legislation that could lead to a college football national championship playoff system.

The ‘‘College Football Playoff Act of 2009’’ would call on the Federal Trade Commission to ban the promotion of any post-season NCAA Division I football national championship games, unless the games culminate in a single elimination playoff system.

The Ranking Member of the committee Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX), who sponsored and authored the bill, looks to sack to the controversial Bowl Championship Series' (BCS) deceptive revenue practices toward automatic qualifier conferences.

“It [BCS] is truly a cartel in the United States. If this cartel existed in the business world it would be in violation of the Sherman Anti-trust Act and we wouldn’t be having a markup on a benign bill like this. We have a multi billion dollar operation that’s not taxed, that’s not subjected to the anti-trust laws and doesn’t really come close to a fair and equitable system for a national championship,” said Barton.

Numerous Representatives voiced their disagreement to hold the hearing at a time when more serious matters should be addressed. Though there are other major issues right now, Barton reminded the committee that these bowl games produce nearly $1.2 billion dollars and interact within interstate commerce, which is within Congress’ power to regulate.

BCS Executive Director Bill Hancock echoed the critics' concern, and told the committee that Congress should focus it’s time with “ more important issues than spending taxpayer money to dictate how college football is played."

"The consensus among the presidents, athletic directors, coaches and faculty from the 120 major universities is that the current system is the best," added Hancock.

The legislation was brought up three days after this year's BCS games were announced, which have left college football fans to question the fairness surrounding the selection of teams in the championship games.

House GOP’ers Risk Injury To Present Health Care Amendments

By Joseph Russell- Talk Radio News Service

Although none of them stretched beforehand, House Republicans lugged dozens of boxes filled with legislative health care amendments called the “Rx for a Healthy America,” around the Capitol on Friday.

"I'm gonna take a chance with my back here," Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) said jokingly. "You can't offer your ideas if there's not a forum, a legislative forum, to offer your ideas. . . we've been right up to the edge of pounding on the door for six months."

Rep. Joe Barton (R-Tex.) and others unveiled the GOP’s 12-point proposal for health care reform. Specifically, the plan focuses on health care affordability, availability, and accessibility. Barton asserted that the plan’s amendments will be offered as soon as “Democrats resume the stalled bill-writing session.”

The plan is designed to ensure that time is taken to produce reform that adheres to the desires of the American public, while at the same time solving the problems of the current health care system.

“It took the President six months to decide how long and which puppy he was gonna have,” said Rep. Nathan Deal (R-Ga.). “To expect Congress to do something on major health care reform in six days is totally irresponsible.”

The “Rx for a Healthy America” plan ensures that Americans keep their current insurance, prohibits pre-existing condition clauses, and guarantees that health care will not become government operated. Moreover, the plan will ensure senior choice, transparency, and government health care for the President, Vice President, and members of Congress.

Barton said that the 17 boxes worth of amendments are more comprehensive than the Democrats' plan and achieve the goals set by President Obama. Barton added that unlike the President’s plan, the Republicans can prove their plan’s effectiveness.

Republicans and tourists: A History Lesson

As the talkathon on the House floor continues, Republicans addressed an unusual crowd compared to their Democratic opponents: Tourists in t-shirts and shorts coming from as far away as Texas.

Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) explained the historical parallel between the Republicans and the famous lawmakers portrayed on the walls above the House floor. Lawmakers like Napoleon made the right decisions when the time came, Barton said.

Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) said Republicans are sending a letter to House Democrats interested in debating the offshore drilling ban. Democrats need to interrupt House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's book tour and begin debating, said Blunt.

"Our speaker is not showing tolerance," said Barton (R-Tx.). Barton said he has a "real problem" with Pelosi not letting the Democratic bill on offshore drilling come to the floor when other Democrats like Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii) are willing to work with Republicans. Drilling on a 3 square mile area of Alaska would give us 11 billion barrels of oil, said Barton.

Barton pointed to the Daniel Webster quote etched on the wall above the House press gallery and read the words "let us develop our resources" out loud. He called for the United States to acknowledge that quote and drill on American soil.

Rep. Rob Bishop (R-Utah) said the energy crisis is only an annoyance for wealthy Americans, but it is a severe problem for the poor. 68 percent of oil drillers are small companies, and they need to continue to drill to survive, Bishop said.