House Members Question Claims Czar Kenneth Feinberg

Members of the House Economic Affairs Committee lodged their complaints Friday with oil spill claims head Kenneth Feinberg.

Feinberg acknowledged problems with transparency and responsiveness within the Gulf Coast Claims Facility, but stated that the system was working. He disputed claims that he is deliberately delaying or denying claims in an attempt to pay out the least amount of claims as possible, pointing to a report from BP, the oil company that caused last year's spill in the Gulf of Mexico, alleging he has been too generous in paying claims.

"I'm getting hit both ways. I'm getting hit with BP saying you're being too generous, I'm being hit the other way by representatives and citizens, which is understandable, saying one size doesn't fit all," Feinberg said.

Feinberg also pushed back on the allegation that his options for providing quick payments that allow claimants to get paid a one-time sum of $5,000 for individuals and $25,000 for businesses but waive their rights to future claims, effectively pushes people under financial stress to accept lower claims than they deserve.

"The quick payment becomes not compulsion, but the quickest way to give people additional compensation," Feinberg said.

Full story to follow.