Talk Radio News Service: News, Politics, Media

By Justine Rellosa-Talk Radio News Service

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar decried the blame game being played in Congress following the massive oil spill off the Gulf Coast during a hearing Tuesday before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

"This is a matter where we all have collective responsibility. The finger-pointing that could easily occur, and is already occurring, is not going to get us to where we wan to get," Salazar said. "The President has directed us to fix this problem now, and to make sure that this problem never occurs again."

Salazar discussed strategies that are currently being implemented to contain the spill. Sometime this weekend a "dynamic kill" of the oil well will take place. According to the Interior Secretary, they will "kill the well by essentially putting in junk that will go into the blow-out prevention mechanism."

One mitigation effort, the riser insertion tube, is currently collecting 1,500-2,000 gallons of oil daily.

Salazar stressed that BP will pay back the costs incurred by those affected by the disaster.

"At the end of the day, every cent that is required to make the American people whole and to make the environment whole will, in fact, be there."