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Because restoring Louisiana's coast is not just a matter of fairness, but a matter of survival, I am glad that House members from both sides of the aisle joined together to introduce a bill that will ensure that 80 percent of penalties paid by BP and others responsible for last year's Gulf oil disaster are used to help restore the region, not for unrelated federal spending.

Chances for Gulf Coast states, including Louisiana, to share in 80 percent of BP fine money got a boost Wednesday when legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives.

After months of negotiations, Gulf Coast lawmakers reached a compromise and introduced a bill in the House Wednesday that would steer most of the fines collected from the BP oil spill to the region for recovery efforts.

Having condemned President Obama's "Buffett Rule" proposal to raise taxes on some millionaires as "class warfare," Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., proposed his own solution to billionaire Warren Buffett's complaints that he paid a lower tax rate than his secretary.

Louisiana Republican Rep. Steve Scalise will introduce his own Warren Buffett-inspired legislation tonight, but this one has the support of conservatives like Grover Norquist.