"House Panel Eyes BP Decisions In Gulf Blowout"

"Lawmakers are taking direct aim at BP's decision-making process -- specifically, how the company weighed profits against safety concerns -- ahead of an upcoming congressional hearing on the Gulf oil disaster.

Rep. Henry Waxman of California and Rep. Bart Stupak of Michigan, the ranking Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, made public a letter to BP CEO Tony Hayward Monday that accuses BP of taking 'risky procedures' to save time and money ahead of the Deepwater Horizon blowout.

Hayward is scheduled to testify before the committee Thursday.

The lawmakers say the committee's investigation has so far focused on five decisions made by BP with regard to the Macondo well, which they say was 'significantly behind schedule,' creating 'pressure to take shortcuts to speed finishing the well.'"

NPR had the story June 14, 2010.