Two House Transportation and Infrastructure panels will take a hard look at the presidential oil spill commission's findings when members return to Washington later this week.

The Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation and Water Resources and Environment subcommittees will hear testimony Friday on the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling's recently released report.

The report, delivered to the president last month, calls broadly for beefed up federal regulation of the offshore drilling industry as well as a greater emphasis on drilling safety within the industry.

During the joint hearing, lawmakers will likely discuss the handful of recommendations dealing specifically with oil spill prevention and response. But the lawmakers could also take a hard look at the commission's recommendation to raise the liability cap for companies involved in oil spills.

The seven-member panel found that the current $75 million liability cap for economic damages is not sufficient, but it did not recommend a new, higher figure.

The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee last year contributed the unlimited liability language to the House-passed package of oil spill-response legislation. With Republicans now in control, the committee is not likely to offer up similar language this year. But it could move on language that raises the cap without eliminating it.

The panel is also likely to take a hard look at the commission's recommendations geared toward the Coast Guard, which played an integral role for the government during the crisis.

Schedule: The hearing is Friday at 10 a.m. in 2167 Rayburn.

Witnesses: TBA.