According to the reports, Washington lawmakers were readying a raft of official responses to the massive BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano met with BP executives Monday afternoon concerning the 200,000 gallons-per-day spill still spewing into the gulf from the site of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig that sank April 22 after an explosion that killed 11.

The Politico reported on Monday House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, D-Calif., and investigations subcommittee Chairman Bart Stupak, D-Mich. scheduled a hearing on the spill for May 12.

The House Natural Resources Committee has scheduled a hearing for May 26.

It was also reported that three senators, Frank Lautenberg, D-N. J., Bob Menendez, D-N. J., and Bill Nelson, D-Fla.. are seeking to up the legal liability for oil companies from $75 million to $10 billion.

The spill was called "a massive and potentially unprecedented environmental disaster," by President Barack Obama on Sunday in Louisiana.

"BP is responsible for this leak. BP will be paying the bill," he said.

BP would take "absolute responsibility" for the oil spill, Tony Hayward, BP's chief executive officer, said on Monday.

The Times of London Online reported that Hayward said, "We've made it clear that where legitimate claims are made, we will be good for them."

Small claims were already being paid, he said.

He further added, "Bigger claims we clearly have a process to run through." (With Inputs from Agencies)