Sure I agree that gas companies shouldn't be allowed to endanger the public in foreseeable and avoidable ways, but I sort of feel that way about everybody. If the gas company blows up your house then the courts should see that you are compensated. It seems a major step from that to "oversight committees". Maybe a committee will notice problems that most individuals won't, but there are many more individuals than there could ever be committees. We're much more likely to hear about the dastardly deeds of multinational corporations from the people they've screwed than from a government committee.