President Barack Obama accused Republicans on Saturday of blocking legislation that would boost the nation's economic recovery and lift a $75 million cap on what oil companies must pay to families and small businesses affected by an oil spill.

President Barack Obama accused Republicans on Saturday of blocking legislation that would boost the nation's economic recovery and lift a $75 million cap on what oil companies must pay to families and small businesses affected by an oil spill.

President Barack Obama says that a three-person panel will decide appeals of rejected claims, as part of the $20 billion fund to compensate for damage arising from the Gulf oil spill.

President Barack Obama has vowed to make BP pay for not only the multi-billion dollar clean-up of the Gulf of Mexico but also the restoration of the region's economy, undertaking to force the British oil giant to set aside the money he believes it owes as a result of [its] recklessness.

President Barack Obama, in his televised speech to the nation Tuesday, will announce the creation of a czar tasked with overseeing the restoration of the Gulf of Mexico region following the oil spill, his chief spokesman said.