The hotly anticipated release yesterday of a report on the causes of last year's Gulf of Mexico oil spill sparked a flurry of calls for action on Capitol Hill, but the political climate could make it difficult for Congress to move spill-response legislation this year.

The National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling yesterday issued its 380-page report detailing the reasons for the disaster and urging the Obama administration, Congress and the industry to make a series of changes to overhaul the industry's safety culture.

Three congressional committees -- House Natural Resources, Senate Energy and Commerce and Senate Environment and Public Works -- have vowed to hold hearings to discuss the findings. Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), ranking member of the House Natural Resources Committee, has promised to introduce legislation that would implement the recommendations of the seven-member presidentially appointed panel. And Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) said he would reintroduce legislation to raise oil companies' liability in the case of a future disaster.

But in his response to the commission's report, House Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.) did not seem keen to enact a sweeping bill incorporating the panel's recommendations. "Rather than clearly identifying the root cause of this unprecedented disaster, the commission's report is limited to general assertions about the enforcement agencies and industry as a whole," Upton said in a statement.

"Neither this nor any investigation should be used as political justification for a pre-determined agenda to limit affordable energy options for America," he added.

He and other Republicans involved in energy discussions on Capitol Hill said they would take the panel's recommendations under consideration but also vowed to protect the industry.

"I will continue to review this report and monitor the cleanup and recovery efforts closer to make sure the commission's recommendations and current regulations are protecting the environment without shutting down responsible exploration in the Gulf," said Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-Texas), chairman of Energy and Commerce's Energy and Power Subcommittee.

The panel's members remain hopeful that lawmakers will take their recommendations to heart despite the changed political circumstances.

"We looked at the problem, at what needed to happen, and identified a series of recommendations. Some of those recommendations will require congressional action. I understand the election happened, but I'm hopeful Congress will pay significant attention," Frances Beinecke, president of the Natural Resources Defense Council and a member of the panel, said in an interview.

The Democratic-controlled House last year passed sweeping oil spill-response legislation that reflects many of the panel's recommendations, including a reorganization at the Interior Department and an increase in spending at the agency that oversees offshore drilling safety. But that bill passed largely along party lines, and the Senate was unable to move on a similar package -- largely because of a debate over the liability language.

While a sweeping spill-response bill isn't likely to gain much traction this year either, some political observers say the panel's recommendation to drastically increase Interior Department spending on drilling safety may gain momentum.

"I think Congress will do that because all of us want to continue to produce more at home in a responsible way," said former Democratic Sen. Byron Dorgan of North Dakota, adding that increased domestic production can only occur with increased enforcement funding.

Former Republican Sen. Bob Bennett of Utah said he was "cautiously optimistic" appropriators on Capitol Hill would act on the panel's recommendations.

"In historical terms, I can tell you electoral rhetoric often gives way to political reality. ... If the responsible answer is more appropriations and people will see in the long term it will produce the [safety results] we need in the Gulf," then Congress may boost spending, Bennett said.

Reporter Katherine Ling contributed.