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A legislative package crafted by the White House to combat the economic threats posed by the massive oil spill off the Gulf Coast will include aid for those put out of work by the crisis.

"A primary concern to the President is ensuring that we provide necessary assistance for families and individuals who are being impacted by the oil spill," Melody Barnes, the director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, said during a conference call with reporters Wednesday.

According to Barnes, the legislation will provide affected individuals with unemployment assistance for 26 weeks and will ask recipients to meet a looser criteria than traditional unemployment insurance.

"Those who can't qualify for regular unemployment insurance will be eligible," Barnes said. "For example, those who are self-employed, as many fisherman are, or those who may not have worked the requisite number of hours."

The legislation will also offer nutritional aid and training for employees wishing to pursue other occupations. Additionally, the package includes provisions to remove the cap on damages for responsible companies and allocates funding to ensure a quick response from the government if the situation worsens.

"While we are asking for additional funds in some cases, the federal government will not relent in pursuing full compensation for the expenses it has incurred ... and the legislation contains provisions to help us recoup these costs," explained Carol Browner, the Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change.