    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2008, Book II)]
    [July 14, 2008]
    [Pages 1014-1015]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks on Energy
    July 14, 2008

        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.

        The 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's court. Democratic leaders can
    show that they have finally heard the frustrations of

    [[Page 1015]]

    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 product--of 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's
    failure to enact commonsense 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.

    Note: The President spoke at 1:27 p.m. in the Rose Garden at the White
    House. The Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish
    language transcript of these remarks.