NEW : Republicans praise Obama for linking oil companies to call for energy reform . NEW : BP says it wants to work with Obama on ending leak , cleaning oil . Obama says he will allow BP to create a BP - sponsored fund to pay for oil spill damages . Oval Office speech is Obama 's first White House address to nation .
NEW : Republicans criticize Obama for linking oil disaster to call for energy reform . NEW : BP says it wants to work with Obama on ending leak , cleaning oil . Obama says he will push BP to create a BP-funded account to pay for oil spill damages . Oval Office speech is Obama 's first White House address to nation .