President Barack Obama promised to hold BP Plc accountable for their actions in the Gulf of Mexico oil spill and urged the public to come together to reduce US reliance on fossil fuels. In a televised address, Obama emphasized his commitment to fighting the spill and ensuring that BP pays for the damage they have caused. The President's strong message to BP was a key part of his speech on the oil spill, which has the potential to overshadow his efforts to address unemployment and reform Wall Street. How Obama handles this disaster will not only affect BP but also impact the future of offshore drilling in the US and his efforts to pass climate change legislation in Congress. Obama called on Americans to take advantage of the current moment to break their reliance on fossil fuels, but did not provide specific details on how to achieve this goal or a timeline for passing comprehensive energy legislation. He expressed support for a bill that would decrease greenhouse gas emissions and emphasized the importance of putting a price on carbon pollution. However, he did not specifically address climate change in his speech, possibly due to the challenges posed by the economic situation. Obama stated that he is willing to consider ideas from both Democrats and Republicans to reduce the country's dependence on oil, but emphasized that inaction is not an acceptable approach. Obama's decision to address the nation from the Oval Office emphasized the seriousness of the situation, a tactic used by past presidents during times of national tragedy. In an election year, the key question is whether Obama can satisfy frustrated voters while his party's control of Congress is in jeopardy. Recent polls indicate that many Americans feel Obama has been too distant in his response to the crisis and has not been tough enough on BP. To address criticism of his leadership during the ongoing crisis, Obama took a stronger stance against BP, though he stopped short of repeating his previous statement about wanting to hold someone accountable. He stated that the next day he would meet with the chairman of BP and instruct him to allocate necessary resources to compensate those affected by the company's negligence. The fund for compensation will not be under BP's control, but instead managed by an independent third party to ensure fair and prompt payment of all legitimate claims. Prior to a televised speech, oil company executives testified at a US congressional hearing that BP did not follow industry standards in constructing the deep-sea well that caused the massive oil spill on April 20. Despite efforts by other oil companies to distance themselves from BP, Democratic lawmakers criticized industry plans for handling deepwater oil disasters as inadequate. Investors were also hoping for Obama to kickstart alternative energy initiatives like solar, wind, and geothermal that are currently stalled in Congress. Shares in US solar companies increased before his speech. In his first address from the Oval Office, Obama aimed to demonstrate his control over the oil spill crisis, which has been a major challenge during his presidency and has overshadowed his efforts to address unemployment and reform Wall Street. Recent polls indicate that most Americans feel Obama has been too aloof in his response to the spill, leading to pressure for him to show more leadership. The urgency of the situation was emphasized by a team of US scientists who recently raised their estimate of the amount of oil flowing from the well by 50 percent.