New York Times reporter, Ian Urbina on early problems with the Deepwater Horizon oil rig; headlines.

It has been nearly six weeks since the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded, sunk, and started to spill oil in the Gulf. There are many aspects to the story, and it’s easy to get distracted by the live feed webcam of the underwater oil spill and the hourly reports on BP’s latest attempts to fix the leak. Yet a larger question looms on the horizon: how different will life be on the Gulf Coast be for residents and visitors once this mess is over?

The Gulf Coast may never be the same as it was before the spill; headlines.

It's Monday, which means it's time to check what's on the agenda this week. Marcus Mabry, associate national editor for The New York Times, and Dan Gross, senior editor and finance expert at Newsweek, look at what's ahead for BP; what unemployment numbers, due out on Friday, will say of the economy; and court hearings for two accused home-grown terrorists, Major Nidal Malik Hasan, the suspected Fort Hood shooter, and Faisal Shahzad, the accused Times Square bomber.

Congressman Ed Markey, chairman of the House energy commitee, came out strongly yesterday against BP, accusing the oil company of under-estimating the leak in order to pay smaller fines. "I think that without question if the word criminal should be used in terms of an environmental crime against our country, what's going on in the Gulf of Mexico is going to qualify," Markey said on "Face the Nation."

Julie Mason, White House correspondent for the Washington Examiner says some Democrats now expect President Obama to follow Markey's footsteps.

Listen: President Obama speaks about the BP oil spill from Grand Isle, Louisiana.

Hurricane season begins next week and the government’s top weather agency is predicting it may be the most intense since 2005 when Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast.

As we learn more about the BP oil leak, there's more that doesn't make sense. It's been almost six weeks since the explosion, which caused the disastrous gusher in the Gulf of Mexico, and many of the public's questions are still unanswered.

Yesterday, BP temporarily halted its "top kill" approach to capping the leaking oil well in the Gulf of Mexico. According to reports, the drilling fluid was escaping into the water along with the crude oil. Drilling was expected to resume by midnight. We get an updated from Chris Kirkham, a reporter with the Times-Picayune in New Orleans.

Arwa Gunja here, with an update on tomorrow's show.

It’s a big political day. There may be enough votes needed to repeal the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy in both the House and in the Senate Armed Service Committee. Sen. Robert Byrd from the committee said he would support the repeal, and some say that brings the total yea votes to 16, one more than needed for passage. Democratic leadership says repeal of the 1993 law would be historic, though some key Republicans say the vote should be delayed until a military review of the repeal is complete. Tomorrow we have a great lineup of servicemen and women who say if the repeal passes, they will come out as openly gay.

BP continues its "top kill" operation in the Gulf of Mexico in an attempt to seal the oil that's been flowing for over a month. The oil has devastated wild life, marred the coastal environment, and caused economic harm to fisheries. It has also forced our government to rethink drilling plans. How will we clean up the mess after the oil stops spewing? How can we really reduce our need for fossil fuels? We're gathering your questions about the spill and we'll answer them on air.

On the foggy evening of September 16, 1969 the oil barge Florida ran aground off Cape Cod in West Falmouth, Massachusetts. 189,000 gallons of fuel spilled into Buzzards Bay, a major transit route for transporting heating and industrial oil and gasoline. Scientists at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution have studied the oil spill extensively and the institution’s research has influenced national standards for cleaning up oil.

Oil has now been gushing into the Gulf of Mexico for 36 days. BP has taken full responsibility for plugging the leak and cleaning up the water and shores, but some are now saying that after a month of attempts, their time at bat is up, and the federal government should take over operations. According to the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, the government can federalize the spill and run the cleanup operation, billing BP for the total cost. However, this remedy is meant to be used as a last resort.

There are many reasons people can find to dislike big oil companies. They reap huge corporate profits, while gas prices at the pump climb and strain our wallets; oil pollution destroys our natural world; and now the catastrophic spill in the Gulf of Mexico threatens everything from wildlife to fisherman. We talk with John Hofmeister, the former president of Shell Oil, who says the government is at fault for the companies' bad reputations.

The New York Times' Campbell Robertson reports from Louisiana on the spill; headlines.

• OIL SPILL TAKEOUT: We check in with Captain Kathy Wilkinson, who operates an eco-tourism business in southern Mississippi. She describes the nervous anticipation in the air as Mississippians wait for the oil slick to break on the coast. Check out her blog post for more on the spill's business impact.
• LISTENERS RESPOND: Over the phone and on the web, Takeaway listeners weigh in on the oil spill and share their favorite movie moms in honor of Mother's Day.

We take a look at what's ahead this week, with Marcus Mabry, associate national editor of The New York Times, and Derrick Ashong, host of "The Derrick Ashong Experience" on Sirius XM's Oprah Radio.

• Washington Takeout:  Takeaway Washington Correspondent Todd Zwillich explains how the oil spill that threatens the business and environment of the Gulf Coast region is also threatening Congressional Democrats who hoped to pass a sweeping energy and climate reform bill. 
• Listener Responses: We hear what you had to say about the Times Square bomb attempt and what you think about surveillance cameras in public places in the wake of the incident.

We take a look at what's ahead this week, with Marcus Mabry, associate national editor of The New York Times, and Derrick Ashong, host of "The Derrick Ashong Experience" on Sirius XM's Oprah Radio.