The White House has put together a legislative package to deal with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Below is an excerpt
The Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is a massive and potentially unprecedented environmental disaster which can seriously damage the economy and environment of our Gulf states and could jeopardize the livelihoods of thousands of Americans who live throughout the Gulf region. From the beginning, the President has been clear that the Administration will not rest until this leak is contained and cleaned up and that we will aggressively pursue full compensation for damages from BP and other responsible parties. That is why the President today sent Congress a legislative package that will: enable the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill response to continue expeditiously, speed assistance to people affected by this spill, and strengthen and update the oil spill liability system to better address catastrophic events. While we are asking for additional funds in some cases, the federal government will not relent in pursuing full compensation from the responsible parties for the expenses it has incurred and for the damage caused by the spill. We will do everything in our power to protect our natural resources, rebuild what has been damaged, and help the Gulf region to persevere as it has done so many times before.
Continue reading on the package details here