BP has committed to set aside $20 billion to clean up and reimburse businesses and individuals hurt by the spill. The money will be put into an escrow account and run independently. The announcement came after several hours of negotiations between BP's top brass and Obama administration officials. John Dimsdale reports.

Workers and Gulf residents affected by the BP oil spill continue to have questions and concerns about the claims process.

Washington bureau chief John Dimsdale talks with Kai Ryssdal about what President Obama said in his speech on the BP oil spill, how he responded to criticism he's gotten over enacting a deepwater drilling moratorium, and the impact all of this will have on developing a cleaner energy strategy going forward.

Washington bureau chief John Dimsdale talks with Kai Ryssdal about what to expect tonight from President Obama's speech on the BP oil spill and how the spill has affected politics and the climate change bill.

On Capitol Hill, chief executives of the world's largest oil companies defended their commitment to safety standards. And took the opportunity to blame BP for ignoring the same standards. But were the mistakes that caused the Gulf spill really a break from the norm or just business as usual? Rob Schmitz reports.

View a slideshow of photos from the Gulf coast where a massive effort is underway to plug the massive leak and clean up the oil spill.

Top oil executives will converge on Capitol Hill today for a hearing on offshore drilling safety.

On Tuesday, President Obama will address the American public about BP. The president is demanding the oil company put money into an escrow account. He wants oil spill victims — not BP shareholders — to get paid first. Rob Schmitz reports.

The oil and gas spewing from the Gulf floor has forced energy and climate change legislation onto the front burner. Lawmakers are scrambling to come up with bills to strengthen government oversight of the oil industry. But what about longer-term solutions? John Dimsdale reports.

People are starting to pay a lot of attention to BP shareholders, specifically the dividend they're scheduled to get in a couple of months. That dividend is one of the only attractive things left about being a BP shareholder, unless Washington has anything to say about it. Jeremy Hobson reports.