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 to question British Petroleum over its safety procedures at a hearing next week.

"My primary concern is to listen to people who are trying to cap the well and stop the leak," said Barton, who also wants to "find out what caused it." Barton said he is not backing off his support for offshore drilling but wants to make sure the energy industry steps up in light of the spill.

"I do think the industry needs to take a look at this and see if best practices were used," he said. "There's a hysteria developing on the left to stop drilling. I don't want this to become the Exxon Valdez of the Gulf."

Barton does not support any move to stop drilling, including President Barack Obama's suspension of new Outer Continental Shelf drilling.

"We have a car wreck in Fort Worth every day," Barton said. "We don't suspend driving on the freeways of Fort Worth."

Burgess, the ranking Republican on the subcommittee on oversight and investigations, also supports drilling but is concerned about the environmental impact of the spill.

"Was it managed correctly from the get-go?" Burgess asked. "I'm not sure."

The subcommittee will hold a hearing Wednesday on the spill.


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