Jim McGovern, the Democratic Party congressman from Massachusetts disagreed.

"My friend talks about jobs. How many jobs have been lost because of this oil spill? How many fishermen are out of business, how many hotels and restaurants have lost business because of this terrible crisis? So this is a good bill, and it is a smart bill. And if you want to apologize to big oil go right ahead, but the American people are not on your side on this one," said McGovern.

The bill faces strong opposition in the Senate. The upper house of Congress is not expected to take up the issue until September.

Earlier Friday, BP's incoming CEO Bob Dudley, said it is time to scale down the vast operation to clean up the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, but he stressed his company's commitment to fully restore the environment.

Among other things, he said the company will establish a $100 million fund to support drilling-rig workers in the Gulf of Mexico who are unemployed because of the oil giant's massive spill.