House lawmakers are once again prepping to probe one of the latest investigations into last year's drilling rig explosion and oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

The House Natural Resources Committee is planning to discuss the report released last month by a federal task force made up of Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement and U.S. Coast Guard investigators.

The committee originally planned to conduct the hearing last month, but Chairman Doc Hastings (R-Wash.) postponed the meeting after the lead investigators of the report decided not to testify.

"It took far too long for the final report to be issued and the Obama administration is now further delaying proper oversight by suddenly refusing to allow members of the investigation team to testify," Hastings said in a statement when he postponed the hearing. "It's unacceptable for the committee not to be able to hear from the actual investigators who conducted the investigation and wrote the report."

The investigative team said last month that it would not be appropriate for the investigators to testify at a hearing about the broad policy implications of the report. Instead, the administration offered to send top officials from each agency to discuss the report and its findings.

On Friday, Michael Bromwich -- who has led BOEMRE since last summer and takes the reins this week at the newly formed Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement -- said he had offered to testify with the assistance of one of the investigators who contributed to the report.

"We've submitted a proposal to the committee, which includes me as the key witness, because we assume the committee is most interested in what are the implications and ramifications down the road for what's in the ... report, not only compliance ... but the recommendations for regulatory reform as well as ... what are the next steps in the process?" Bromwich told reporters Friday. "As head of the agency, I think I'm in the best position to answer those questions."

"The ... report largely speaks for itself. I don't think it's very realistic to think there are many technical issues that will come up at the hearing," Bromwich added. "I'd like to think I've learned enough to be able to handle those, but we've offered to have a member of the JIT come with me to assist in answering any of those questions."

A committee spokesman said the panel was still sorting out the witness list with the Obama administration.

"It's our hope that this matter will be resolved soon," spokesman Spencer Pederson said in an email. "No subpoenas have been issued."

The 212-page report from the BOEMRE and Coast Guard team blamed much of the 2010 disaster on poor management decisions by BP PLC. The report also makes a series of regulatory recommendations to improve the safety of offshore drilling.

The report's findings do not stray far from those of other investigations into the disaster, but the new report places the blame more squarely on BP's shoulders.

"As a prudent operator, BP should have complete control of operations and issues surrounding operations on its lease," the report says. "BP's failure to have full supervision and accountability over the activities associated with the Deepwater Horizon was a contributing cause of the Macondo blowout."

Earlier this year, Hastings said he would not work on any oil spill response legislation until after the report's findings were released. And he repeatedly blasted the delays that preceded the report's release.

"This is another significant report on the disaster, and I'm hopeful it will give us a clearer picture about what happened so Congress, industry and the administration can move forward responsibly and appropriately," Hastings said. "I'm confident that with a far more complete reporting of the facts, we will be able to take a thoughtful approach to real reforms to ensure continued safe American energy production."

Schedule: The hearing is Thursday, Oct. 6, at 10 a.m. in 1324 Longworth.

Witnesses: TBA.

Reporter Phil Taylor contributed.