Obama says fight against oil spill will continue ‘as long it takes’ but BP will pay the bill

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Obama: ‘We will make BP pay’

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says the nation will continue to fight the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico for “as long as it takes,” but he vows that BP will pay for the damage it’s caused.

In his Oval Office address Tuesday night, Obama said his administration will do whatever is necessary to help the Gulf Coast and its people recover from the spill.

Obama said officials will make BP pay for all costs associated with cleaning up the oil spill, the nation’s worst environmental disaster.

The administration sent BP a $69 million bill earlier this month, the first in what is expected to be a series of bills. Total costs for the spill are expected to reach into the billions.