Congressional leaders lean on BP to do more

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congressional leaders stepped up pressure on oil giant BP to fully compensate economic victims of the Gulf spill as President Barack Obama offered condolences today to the relatives of the 11 rig workers killed in the April 20 explosion.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said "every taxpayer in America must know that BP will be held accountable for what is owed." She spoke at the White House after Obama met with congressional leaders of both parties.

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky agreed BP has to clean up the spill. But he said Democratic lawmakers shouldn't use the tragedy to try to build support for energy legislation that McConnell contended would amount to a "national energy tax."

Asked if BP should cut its dividends to shareholders, Pelosi said, "I think it's appropriate for BP to be paying businesses in the Gulf. ... They have a responsibility under the law to pay these damages. They made $17 billion last year. Maybe people who receive dividends have deeper pockets."

She said it was "appropriate for the government to insist that they obey the law. ... They have failed and misrepresented on every score."