Bush urges Congress to lift offshore drilling ban
- 00:01:44
- YouTube
Bush urges Congress to lift offshore drilling ban
With gasoline topping four US dollars a gallon, President George W. Bush has urged Congress to lift its long-standing ban on offshore oil and gas drilling.He's also called for action to increase energy production. Energy companies have been barred from waters along both the East and West coasts and in the eastern Gulf of Mexico for nearly three decades. With gas prices at today's painful levels the US president is renewing a call for lawmakers to lift the long-standing ban. Bush says offshore drilling could yield up to 18 billion barrels of oil, taking pressure off prices. He's also made other proposals including opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for drilling. Though he agrees the proposals would take years to have effect, Bush says Congress is obstructing progress and directly contributing to consumers' pain at the pump. Bush said, "I know the Democratic leaders have opposed some of these policies in the past. Now that their opposition has helped drive gas prices to record levels, I ask them to reconsider their positions. If Congressional leaders leave for the 4th of July recess without taking action, they will need to explain why four-dollar-a-gallon gasoline is not enough incentive for them to act." Congressional Democrats have been quick to reject the push for lifting the drilling moratorium. They say oil companies have leased nearly 70 million acres offshore that are not being developed. Editor:Du Xiaodan
YouTube | June 19, 2008
