Originally posted by the Voice of America. Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America, a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in the public domain. US Senate Opens Hearings on Oil Spill VOA News 11 May 2010 Lamar McKay, President and Chairman of BP American, is sworn-in before testifying before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, on Capitol Hill in Washington Tuesday, May 11, 2010 Photo: AP Lamar McKay, President and Chairman of BP American, is sworn-in before testifying before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, on Capitol Hill in Washington Tuesday, May 11, 2010 Officials from BP and two other companies involved with the oil drilling rig that exploded and sank in the Gulf of Mexico are facing questions from U.S. lawmakers about the disaster. Executives from BP, Swiss-based Transocean and U.S.-based Halliburton testified before the U.S. Senate's Energy and Natural Resources Committee Tuesday.  Senator Jeff Bingaman, the chair of the committee, opened the hearing saying the accident was due to a "cascade of errors" of people, technology and regulation. The top Republican on the committee, Lisa Murkowski, agreed with Bingaman, saying systems have to be improved to ensure such accidents do not happen again. In written testimony, each executive blamed the other companies for last month's deadly explosion and fire that led to the sinking of the Deepwater Horizon platform and a subsequent massive oil leak. Transocean owned the rig, Halliburton cemented the well pipe, and BP leased the rig and is responsible for the oil well. The explosion killed 11 workers and is threatening economic and ecological consequences in the U.S. Gulf Coast region. Public hearings are also being held in New Orleans, Louisiana.  The Associated Press is reporting that the Obama administration will propose splitting up a U.S. Interior Department agency - the Minerals Management Service - that oversees offshore drilling. An internal investigation in 2008 described "a culture of ethical failure" within the agency, accusing a group of agency employees in Denver of various misdeeds, including engaging in sex and drug usage with energy company representatives, along with accepting gifts, ski trips and golf outings. Meanwhile, BP is making plans to use a new containment box in an attempt to plug the oil spill, which is estimated to be leaking nearly 795,000 liters a day. The box is a smaller version of a four-story tall containment dome that was unsuccessfully deployed last week to capture some of the oil leaking from a ruptured well. Officials also are considering trying to plug the leak with golf balls, tires and debris in a maneuver known as a "junk shot."   The White House says President Barack Obama has directed Energy Secretary Steven Chu to lead a team of top administration officials and government scientists traveling to Houston for talks with BP on the spill, which has so far cost the company $350 million.  The amount includes $3.5 million to pay 295 of 4,700 claims it has received for economic damages. .