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July 15, 2008
Bush to Lift Executive Ban on Offshore Oil Drilling
President Bush Discusses Outer Continental Shelf Exploration Rose Garden
THE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon. Across the country, Americans are concerned about the high price of gasoline. Every one of our citizens who drives to work, or takes a family vacation, or runs a small business is feeling the squeeze of rising prices at the pump.
To reduce pressure on prices we must continue to implement good conservation policies, and we need to increase the supply of oil, especially here at home. For years, my administration has been calling on Congress to expand domestic oil production. Unfortunately, Democrats on Capitol Hill have rejected virtually every proposal -- and now Americans are paying at the pump. When members of Congress were home over the Fourth of July recess, they heard a clear message from their constituents: We need to take action now to expand domestic oil production.
One of the most important steps we can take to expand American oil production is to increase access to offshore exploration on the Outer Continental Shelf, or what's called the OCS. But Congress has restricted access to key parts of the OCS since the early 1980s. Experts believe that these restricted areas of the OCS could eventually produce nearly 10 years' worth of America's current annual oil production. And advances in technology have made it possible to conduct oil exploration in the OCS that is out of sight, protects coral reefs and habitats, and protects against oil spills.
Last month, I asked Congress to lift this legislative ban and allow the exploration and development of offshore oil resources. I committed to lift an executive prohibition on this exploration if Congress did so, tailoring my executive action to match what Congress passed. It's been almost a month since I urged Congress to act -- and they've done nothing. They've not moved any legislation. And as the Democratically-controlled Congress has sat idle, gas prices have continued to increase.
Failure to act is unacceptable. It's unacceptable to me and it's unacceptable to the American people. So today, I've issued a memorandum to lift the executive prohibition on oil exploration in the OCS. With this action, the executive branch's restrictions on this exploration have been cleared away. This means that the only thing standing between the American people and these vast oil resources is action from the U.S. Congress.
Now the ball is squarely in Congress' court. Democratic leaders can show that they have finally heard the frustrations of the American people by matching the action I've taken today, repealing the congressional ban, and passing legislation to facilitate responsible offshore exploration. This legislation must allow states to have a say in what happens off their shores, provides a way for the federal government and states to share new leasing revenues, and ensure the environment is protected.
This legislation should also take other essential steps to expand domestic production: Congress should clear the way for our nation to tap into the extraordinary potential of oil shale, which could provide Americans with domestic oil supplies that are equal to more than a century's worth of current oil imports. Congress should permit exploration in currently restricted areas of northern Alaska, which could produce roughly the equivalent of two decades of imported oil from Saudi Arabia. Congress should expand and enhance our domestic refining capacity, so that America will no longer have to import millions of barrels of fully-refined gasoline from abroad.
The time for action is now. This is a difficult period for millions of American families. Every extra dollar they have to spend because of high gas prices is one dollar less they can use to put food on the table or send a child to school. And they are rightly angered by Congress' failure to enact common-sense solutions. Today, I've taken every step within my power to allow offshore exploration of the OCS. All that remains is for the Democratic leaders in Congress to allow a vote. The American people are watching the numbers climb higher and higher at the pump -- and they're waiting to see what the Congress will do.
Thank you.
Wild Thing's comment.......
Congress must still lift its own legislative ban before offshore drilling can happen.
White House press secretary Dana Perino says Bush is acting now in hopes of spurring Congress to act. So far, lawmakers have shown no interest in doing so.
Congress called him on the Executive Order when President Bush called for drilling offshore. Now he is placing the ball squarely in Congress’ court.
The public will now see Congress even more, as an obstacle to lower fuel prices. Congress now has to “put up or shut up” on offshore drilling. President Bush is backing Reid and Pelosi into a corner and with their 9% approval rating.
I would love for Bush to declare an economic emergency and open ANWR to oil drilling.
After Bush's speech I called the White House 202-456-1111 and told them to thank the President for doing this. That he has got to do all he can to get this accompolished. You actually get to talk to a real person! I get through pretty quick so that means there aren’t many people calling. We need to burn up the phone lines.
It will depend on how Mccain and the RNC handle this issue in ads and on the campaign trail. If they call attention to the fact that the RATS are the ones standing in the way of more oil supply and hopefully lower prices MAYBE it will resonate with voters. one can only hope.
Congressional Off-Shore Drilling Ban Expires Sept. 30, 2008 — Unless Congress Renews The ban by the U.S. Congress on off-shore drilling has to be imposed every fiscal year.
This explains President Bush's announcement that he will repeal a separate executive order on off-shore drilling leaving only the Congressional ban in place.
The gambit by the President will force both houses of the Democrat-led Congress to vote before the elections on keeping the ban in place at a time of record high oil prices and record global demand that has driven domestic gas pump prices to over $4 per gallon.
Even if Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid are able to pass the ban, they would still have to get the ban past President Bush, either with his signature or by over-riding a veto.
President Bush has laid the groundwork for a battle the environmental extremists and anti-drilling politicians in both (but mainly the Democrats) parties don't want.
So now is a good time too to get in touch with our politicians in our States and tell them what we want before they make this horrble ban again.
White House
202-456-1111
Nancy Pelosi’s #
(202) 225-0100
Posted by Wild Thing at July 15, 2008 03:55 AM
Comments
Very good. I watched Rep. King during his interview and he was so very straight forward in his speaking.
We need to also start building new refining capacitynuclear power plants as well as develop coal and our oil shale.
Posted by: Bob at July 15, 2008 06:45 AM
Ball's in your court, Nan and Harry! Heh!
I imagine that Harry R.'s hemorrhoids are about to hemmorhage, if they haven't already.
He gets a bit testy on the floor more and more, lately. It's so much fun to watch. What a putz.
You just watch Nan - I bet her blinky-blink is going to get real bad. I'd hate to be working in her office these days.
Posted by: yankeemom at July 15, 2008 07:27 AM
I guess we can welcome the President back into the club but he is not going to get his jacket back, at least not just yet.
This should have been done years ago, he tried, true, but he didn't push it like he should have. It is about time.
Posted by: Mark at July 15, 2008 08:00 AM
Just the intent to open more drilling area should begin to reverse the price of oil. President Bush is doing the right thing. He should be very vocal about this and stick to his guns, no compromising. This is critical to America's economy. The runup in oil prices has opened the vicious door of inflation.That door needs to be slammed shut.
Posted by: TomR at July 15, 2008 09:44 AM
Pelosi is a complete jerk. She believes she can lower gas prices by taxing oil companies and preventing their executives from getting big bonuses.
Pelosi: ‘With Skyrocketing Gas Prices, Americans Can No Longer Afford Rubber Stamp Congress’
http://www.house.gov/pelosi/press/releases/April06/Rubberstamp.html
Posted by: BobF at July 15, 2008 10:09 AM
I HAVE NO USE FOR DEMOCRATS AT ALL- ANY OF THEM- LIBERMAN MIGHT BE OK- ALL THEY DO IS MUCK UP THE WORLD- ALTHOUGH THEY ARE SAYING SOME ARE GETTING ANGRY WITH PELOSI AND REED AND OBAMA--LOL!!!!
Posted by: Cheryl Zee at July 15, 2008 12:44 PM
Bob, that is great you got to see Rep. King. He has made some good comments on this.
Posted by: Wild Thing at July 15, 2008 06:25 PM
Yankeemom, LOL that is funny what you said about Reid. heh heh
And blinky-blink of Pelosi yes she gets on a roll with that blinky-blink when she is upset. hahaha
Posted by: Wild Thing at July 15, 2008 06:27 PM
Mark, LOL Yess no jacket back yet. Love how you put that.
I agree he should have done this years ago in fact when he first came in to office.
Posted by: Wild Thing at July 15, 2008 06:29 PM
Tom, yes I pray that is what happens.
Posted by: Wild Thing at July 15, 2008 06:31 PM
Bush took the first step with challenging Congress on oil exploration and drilling. Now, he has to followup with a press conference each and every day, seven days a week, for the rest of his term reporting on the "lame duck" Congress and what they have done or not done for the people of the country.
Bush needs to remind the people every day that Congress does nothing to increase exploration and drilling for oil and gas. He needs to report on their foot dragging to remove the roadblocks to building new refineries and nuclear power plants. Add to that report the other legislation that Bush mentioned that Congress is sitting on and the voters should have a good education on who and where the real problem is.
Bush's approval rating is a low 28% while the Democrat controlled Congress has reached an even new much lower 9%. Bush still has leverage and he should use it. Beat the bastards down. They deserve it.
Posted by: Les at July 15, 2008 06:33 PM
BobF, yes Pelosi is an idiot and she is showing it more then ever with this.
Thanks for the link.
Posted by: Wild Thing at July 15, 2008 06:34 PM
Cheryl, I agree, they have done only things that make a mess of things and don't help at all when they need to come to the side of America.
Posted by: Wild Thing at July 15, 2008 06:37 PM
Les, Yes that is what he should do. Keep hammering them every day and the other Rep. should be doing this too. Gang up on the left and it would work.
Posted by: Wild Thing at July 15, 2008 06:39 PM
