Rep. Peter Welch delivers opening statement at Gulf spill hearing

Rep. Peter Welch delivered an opening statement to leaders of BP, Transocean and Halliburton on May 12 about the devastating human and environmental toll of the Gulf oil spill.

Welch visited the Gulf region on Friday with a bipartisan delegation of Energy and Commerce Committee members. The group flew over the spill site, were briefed by response officials and met with residents and business owners affected by the spill.

Welch recently cosponsored the BP Deepwater Horizon Inquiry Commission Act, which would create an independent, non-partisan commission to investigate the causes of the Gulf spill and seek to prevent future incidents from occurring.