To provide that parties responsible for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico shall reimburse the general fund of the Treasury for costs incurred in responding to that oil spill.

SA 4175. Mr. LAUTENBERG submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 4899, making emergency supplemental appropriations for disaster relief and summer jobs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2010, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

On page 79, between lines 3 and 4, insert the following:

(b) Reimbursement.--

(1) Definition of responsible party.--In this subsection, the term “responsible party” means a responsible party (as defined in section 1001 of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (33 U.S.C. 2701)) with respect to the discharge of oil that began in 2010 in connection with the explosion on, and sinking of, the mobile offshore drilling unit Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico.

(2) Liability and reimbursement.--Notwithstanding any limitation on liability under section 1004 of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (33 U.S.C. 2704) or any other provision of law, each responsible party--

(A) is liable for any costs incurred by the United States under this Act relating to the discharge of oil that began in 2010 in connection with the explosion on, and sinking of, the mobile offshore drilling unit Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico; and

(B) shall, upon the demand of the Secretary of the Treasury, reimburse the general fund of the Treasury for the costs incurred under this Act relating to the discharge of oil described in subparagraph (A), as well as the costs incurred by the United States in administering responsibilities under this Act and other applicable Federal law relating to that discharge of oil.

(3) Failure to pay.--If a responsible party fails to pay a demand of the Secretary of the Treasury pursuant to this Act, the Secretary of the Treasury shall request the Attorney General to bring a civil action against the responsible party (or a guarantor of the responsible party) in an appropriate United States district court to recover the amount of the demand, plus all costs incurred in obtaining payment, including prejudgment interest, attorneys fees, and any other administrative and adjudicative costs.