WBRZ - Baton Rouge

Today administration officials get a chance to explain their role in responding to the Gulf oil spill.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and a top Coast Guard official are due to appear before a Senate panel.

It comes as lawmakers push various ideas in response to the financial calamity that's resulted.

Some senators like New Jersey's Robert Menendez want to hike each company's liability from a post-Exxon Valdez limit of $75 million to $10 billion.

There's also an effort under way to possibly quadruple the 8 cent per barrel tax oil companies pay on each barrel of oil.

That money goes into a liability fund.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, who has already made some changes in his department in the wake of the disaster, is set to appear before a different panel tomorrow.