May 13, 2010 — Senators Menendez, Lautenberg and Nelson today asked unanimous consent on their Big Oil Bailout Prevention Liability Act of 2010, a bill that would raise the liability caps for oil companies from $75 million to $10 billion to help ensure that they pay the full costs of economic and environmental disasters caused by their negligence. Sen. Murkowski, however, objected, essentially blocking passage of this important piece of legislation. Inexplicably, Republicans are protecting negligent oil companies like BP and blocking our efforts to prevent a BP bailout," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. "Through their obstruction, Republicans are leaving taxpayers on the hook to pay for BPs negligence."