Sen. Klobuchar seeks to assure taxpayers don't pay for spill

Sen. Amy Klobuchar says there should be no limit on the amount of economic damages oil companies must pay to clean up spills or leaks.

Klobuchar said she has sponsored legislation to make sure taxpayers are not footing the bill for BP's disastrous spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

"Because under the liability cap, that's what would happen. It's limited at $75 million," Klobuchar said. "The damage of this is up toward $10 billion at this point, no one really knows, and BP has the money to do this.

"Last year, they made $16 billion in profit," she said. "They have said repeatedly, when I have pressed them at meetings, that they will pay for it and we have to hold them to it."

Klobuchar called the BP spill "the most outrageous thing" that has happened since she was elected to Congress. She said the government's priorities are to stop the spill, make sure it never happens again, and change the way federal agencies regulate and monitor oil drilling.

BP has said it will pay for all legitimate claims stemming from the April 20 oil well blowout.