Huffington Post

‘PIPELINES LEAK — IT’S A MATTER OF WHEN’

Keystone XL Oil Spill Risk Troubles Nebraskans, Others Who Point To Previous Spills Like Mayflower

Our government has a committee for everything under the sun including an Environment and Public Works committee but they can’t seem to control the companies under their jurisdiction.

The following are a few of the governments committees that people get paid big bucks to oversee.

Senate:

Select Committee On Intelligence
Select Committee On Ethics
Special Committee On Aging
House

Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
Standards of Official Conduct – wow
U.S. National Security and Military Concerns with the People’s Republic of China
Joint Committees
Joint Committee on the Library of Congress
Joint Committee on Printing
Joint Committee on Taxation
Joint Economic Committee
Agriculture – they pay farmers not to grow crops???
Appropriations – should be misappropriations
Armed Services
Budget – for pay offs
Education and the Workforce
Energy and Commerce
Ethics – non-existent
Financial Services – open book
Foreign Affairs
Homeland Security
House Administration
Intelligence – someone missed the ball on this one!!!
Judiciary – it all depends on who you are related to
Natural Resources – wake up the troops
Oversight and Government Reform – a thing of the past
Rules – there aren’t any
Science, Space, and Technology – Space programs are a big waste of money
Small Business – that concern ended years ago
Transportation and Infrastructure
Veterans’ Affairs – they need to do a better job
Ways and Means – what the hell is this?

Aging – a forgotten group
Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry – very big hole in this one
Armed Services
Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
Budget – does the government operate under one?
Commerce, Science and Transportation
Energy and Natural Resources
Ethics – I have something stuck in my throat; I keep gagging
Environment and Public Works
Finance
Foreign Relations – Dominique Strauss-Kahn is in charge of this one
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Indian Affairs – how?
Intelligence – set their alarm
Judiciary
Rules and Administration
Small Business and Entrepreneurship – ask the small business man how it is going
Veterans’ Affairs – you would never know it
Economic – after the number 10; take your shoes off
Library
Printing – this one they really excel in; keep the presses going
Taxation – this one should have a new heading, like robbery

In July of 2010 there was a 20,000 barrel oil leak of tar sands crude oil from a pipeline that spilled partially into the Michigan waterway and still hasn’t been cleaned up. We don’t want them to rush them into anything; it has only been 33 months.
Now the residence of York, Nebraska are concerned that the same thing can happen in their community if the proposed oil line company from Canada is allowed to be construct through their community. Who can really blame them?

On Friday another Exxon Mobil pipeline burst in Mayflower, Ark., releasing up to an estimated 10,000 barrels of tar sands oil and reportedly forcing the evacuation of some 40 families. Where are the “watch dogs/inspectors” that are supposed to be controlling these oil companies? Most of the oil spills are pure negligence.

It is no secret that there are a lot of envelopes that change hands in these types of situations for the inspectors to turn their heads. Vacations to Jamaica are not uncommon but new Mercedes should be ruled out.

It has always been my opinion that the easiest and fastest way to get someone’s attention is to shut them down and stop the flow of cash to their coffers until they meet their obligations.

Possibly the government can create another oversight committee to oversee the committee that is not doing their job. In the process of forming that committee, there should be a limit set on the amount of payoffs to try and get situations like this under control.

Just a suggestion.