"House Oversight Democrats Bait GOP Over Troubled Oil-Lease Program"

"At a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing today on opportunities to reduce duplication in government programs and enhance government revenue, Democrats left no doubt where they want to begin that effort.

Led by ranking member Elijah Cummings of Maryland, Democrats repeatedly hammered big oil companies for failing to pay the government its fair share for the resources harvested from federal land.

"We're being cheated," Cummings said. "It's money that's due the American people on our land. ... This has to be a priority."

The Government Accountability Office noted in a new report, which was the subject of today's hearing, that improved management of federal oil and gas resources has the potential to save the government billions of dollars."

John McArdle reports for Greenwire March 3, 2011.