Obama seeks emergency funding for oil disaster commission

[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/06/16/art.obama061610.jpg caption=" President Obama on Wednesday asked Congress for $15 million in emergency funding for the new national commission investigating the oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico."]
Washington (CNN) - President Barack Obama on Wednesday asked Congress for $15 million in emergency funding for the new national commission investigating the oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.

"The Administration asked Congress to consider an emergency budget amendment of $15 million for the Department of Energy to fund the activities of that commission," an administration official told CNN on condition of not being identified.

"This amendment would fund necessary expenses, including personnel costs, authorized travel, research and investigation costs, reimbursement to federal agencies for operational and logistical support, and other costs in carrying out the mandate of the commission," the official said.

The seven-member commission will report back by the end of the year on the causes of the disaster, as well as "options for safety and environmental precautions necessary to prevent a similar disaster from happening again," Obama wrote in a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi requesting the funds.