Last Friday I traveled to the Gulf Coast area affected by the oil spill caused by the April 20 explosion on the ultra-deep-water exploratory oil rig, Deepwater Horizon. The most dreadful consequence of this tragedy is the loss of life—of the 126 men and women on board the rig, 11 perished. Oil is now leaking into the Gulf at rates currently estimated at 5,000 barrels per day, and thousands of men and women have been working around the clock to get the spill under control. While in Louisiana, our delegation received a briefing from Coast Guard Rear Admiral Mary Landry at Unified Area Command, and we also met with representatives from the Department of the Interior, Minerals Management Service (MMS), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, local officials, affected industries and response teams. Read more »

Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-Texas), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, released the following statement on the Deepwater Horizon oil spill containment efforts in the Gulf Coast region. Burgess visited the region today as part of a Congressional Delegation (CODEL). “My first goal as a federal representative is to make sure that the men and women involved in the cleanup effort have every tool at their disposal to safely and effectively control the spill. I am very impressed with the cooperation between the Coast Guard and BP. Read more »

Rep. Joe Barton, the ranking Republican of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and committee member Rep. Michael Burgess are scheduled to tour the oil spill site this afternoon as part of a nine-member delegation. For Barton, R-Arlington, and Burgess, R-Lewisville, the trip is a first-hand opportunity to survey the damage as the oil begins to wash ashore and the lawmakers prepare… Read more »

Reps. Michael C. Burgess (R-Lewisville) and Joe Barton (R-Arlington) joined several senior House lawmakers today on a visit to the site of the BP oil spill, about 40 miles offshore Venice, La. Burgess, Barton and others were briefed on the clean-up operation by U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Mary Landry and flew over the spill in a C-140. The photo to the right was provided by Burgess,… Read more »

Arguing that energy efficiency and rebate programs sell themselves, Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-Texas), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, offered an amendment to strip the $12 million in funding for a public information campaign from H.R. 5019, the Home Star Energy Retrofit Act. “Energy efficiency sells itself - consumers use less electricity and see lower electricity bills. Major manufacturers and retailers know how to sell their products; they’ve been doing it for years. They certainly know how to market Energy Star rebates, why would this be any different? Read more »

U.S. Reps. Joe Barton, R-Texas, ranking member on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and Michael Burgess, R-Texas, ranking member of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, today sent a letter requesting that the committee add Department of the Interior Secretary Ken Salazar as a witness for the May 12, 2010 Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing on the causes of the Deepwater Horizon rig explosion and oil spill. Read more »

Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-Texas), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, was named the top Republican on the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee late Tuesday during a Committee business meeting. The subcommittee’s duties include oversight of federal agencies, departments, and programs that fall within the jurisdiction of the full Committee, and conducting investigations into matters that fall within the Committee’s jurisdiction. Read more »

Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (Texas-26) has scheduled a Town Hall meeting for this Saturday, October 24th, at 10:00 a.m., on the Texas Wesleyan University campus in Fort Worth. The Town Hall gives residents of Texas’ 26th Congressional District the chance to learn more about the health care proposals Congress is currently considering, or any other issues. Read more »

In a bid to be more environmentally conscious, officials from the U.S. House of Representatives recently purchased a diesel-electric hybrid truck from the Denton-based Peterbilt Motors Co. plant. The Model 330 Hybrid Electric Truck is intended to carry thousands of pounds of furniture and office equipment on the Capitol Campus and throughout the Greater Washington area. The truck… Read more »

As I’ve traveled Texas’ 26th District during the August District Work Period, I’ve heard from North Texans spanning from Gainesville to Fort Worth and Frisco to Ponder. Health care reform has been the main topic of interest, but I’ve also heard from North Texans on federal spending, cap and trade and budget deficits. Read more »