The spotlight in Washington this week falls squarely on the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, with lawmakers set to investigate both the cause and impact of the disaster. While other business will continue, including another session of the committee working to reconcile the House and Senate versions of the financial reform bill, legislators mainly will focus their efforts on analyzing the impact of the oil spill and ensuring those at fault feel the full brunt of the responsibility.

As oil continues to spill, pressure mounts on President Obama to show that his administration will not sit idly by during the crisis. Set to speak to the nation tonight, the president looks to answer critics who have pointed to his calm demeanor as a sign that he is less than fully engaged. Supporters will be keeping a close eye on the language in the speech, looking for key phrases that show that his approach thus far has been measured and methodical, not distant, and that he will continue to keep the pressure on BP.

Meanwhile, congressional lawmakers on both sides of the aisle will meet to continue to examine the cause and impact of the spill. Some, including House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH), are claiming sarcastically that this is simply "Congress at its best," with members holding hearings without providing solutions. However, both the House and Senate plan to question high-ranking officials across the oil industry to determine what can be done to prevent this type of catastrophe from occurring again.

Chief executives from the five "Big Oil" companies - BP, Exxon, Chevron, ConocoPhillips and Shell - are scheduled to testify today before a hearing of the House Energy and Commerce Committee subpanel.

Ensuring compensation for those affected by the crisis is a main goal for both the president and Congress. From payments to those forced out of work by the spill to the ever-growing cost of the environmental cleanup, the administration and lawmakers will support a new escrow account, with Senate Democrats asking BP to create a fund worth close to $20 billion to handle economic damages and cleanup costs.

BP did not immediately respond to the Senate request, and there is growing consensus that it will likely take a third party mediator to validate any claim of damage.

Unexpected Win in South Carolina Primary Draws Questions

The results of last week's South Carolina Democratic Senate Primary have shocked many around the nation, as the unknown candidate Alvin Green, an Army veteran with no website and little cash raised, defeated favorite Vic Rawl, a four-term former lawmaker who was heavily favored to win.

Many Washington insiders have called the election results into question, including Rawl. Posting an official bid on his website to have the results reviewed, Rawl did his best to assure voters he was not questioning Green's character, merely the election itself.

"I would like to speak directly to Mr. Greene and say, 'Sir, this is not about you, and it's not about me," Rawl said. "Let me be clear: regardless of the outcome of this protest, a full and unblinking investigation of this election and the overall integrity of South Carolina's election system must go forward. Whether our protest is upheld or not, I intend to bring my full energies to electoral reform well into the future."

Rawl points to what he believes are "irregularities" in the election returns, including what Rawl describes as "the well-documented unreliability and unverifiability of the voting machines used in South Carolina," machines which "were purchased surplus from Louisiana after that state outlawed them."

While the South Carolina Democratic Party decides whether or not to conduct a full investigation, the Washington Post reports that election returns from last Tuesday "show fewer voters casting ballots in the Democratic Senate primary" and say the don't support the idea that "a surge in GOP crossover voting in the race" affected the outcome.

The complaint now goes before the South Carolina Democratic Party executive committee, which will consider the protest at a public hearing Thursday in Columbia.