Good afternoon,

President Obama just returned from his fourth trip to the Gulf Coast region since the BP Oil Spill began in April. Tonight at 8 p.m. EDT, he will address the nation from the Oval Office on the oil spill and his Administration's plan to address this crisis going forward.

Immediately following the President's address, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs will take your questions on the oil spill and the Administration's ongoing response.

You don't have to wait until tonight to ask your question -- submit your question in video or text at YouTube.com/WhiteHouse and vote for the questions you want to see answered:

For the past two days, I've been travelling with President Obama along the Gulf Coast. We visited Gulfport, Mississippi, Theodore and Ft. Morgan, Alabama, and Pensacola, Florida.

Along the way we've met with National Incident Commander Admiral Thad Allen and state and local officials who have been working around the clock to coordinate the Federal, state and local response to this disaster.

We met with workers at a staging location in Theodore, Alabama who are fixing booms, decontaminating vessels and equipment and providing support for the ongoing cleanup efforts in the region.

And we met with local business owners who are worried not just about how the oil spill will affect their bottom line this year, but how it will affect their way of life that has been passed down for generations.

The BP Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico is already the largest environmental disaster our country has ever faced. Unlike an earthquake or hurricane, this crisis is not a single catastrophic event, but an ongoing assault on the Gulf Coast.

The clean up and recovery process will not happen overnight, but the Obama Administration will not rest until we've stopped the leak, contained and cleaned up the oil and restored the lives of those who live in the region. We will continue to hold BP accountable for the ongoing economic impact of this disaster. The President has demanded that BP and all responsible parties pay legitimate claims of economic damages to residents and businesses affected by the oil spill quickly and fairly.

You can track our progress here:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/deepwater-bp-oil-spill/

I hope you'll tune in tonight at 8:00 PM EDT to watch the President's address. And don't forget to submit your questions for Press Secretary Robert Gibbs at YouTube.com/WhiteHouse.

Sincerely,

Carol Browner
Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change