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President Barack Obama on Friday took his second trip to the Gulf Coast since an underwater oil well began spewing crude into the Gulf of Mexico.

At Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport the president was greeted by Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, the national incident commander in charge of the response efforts.

The president gave a quick wave to the press before removing his jacket under the blazing Louisiana sun and hopping into a helicopter that took him to Grand Isle. There, the president attended a briefing on the status of the spill containment and efforts to stop the flow of oil.

Shortly after the briefing, Obama addressed the press at the U.S. Coast Guard Station in Grand Isle. The president said response teams in areas where oil has already reached the shore will be tripled within 24 hours to assist with the cleanup.

Obama promised to make sure BP pays all claims for economic injury. He also promised to help local governments cut through the red tape that has delayed many from receiving payments for job losses.

“As I’ve said before, BP is the responsible party for this disaster. What that means is, they’re legally responsible for stopping the leak and they’re financially responsible for the enormous damage they’ve created,” said Obama. ”And we’re going to hold them accountable along with any other party responsible for the initial explosion and loss of life on that platform.”

As for the “top kill” procedure that began Wednesday, Obama said it’s still too early to tell whether it will be effective.

“If it is successful, it would obviously be welcome news,” he said. If it is not, “some of the world’s top scientists, engineers and experts,” he said, “has for some time been exploring any and all reasonable contingency plans.”

After highlighting the Small Business Administration’s efforts to increase loan approvals and defer existing loan payments to businesses affected by the spill, the president reaffirmed his commitment to making sure the people of the Gulf Coast are not forgotten.

Obama returned to Louis Armstrong Airport with Carol Browner, assistant to the president for energy and climate change, and Adm. Allen before taking off for Chicago, where he plans to spend the Memorial Day weekend with his family.

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