[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 44, Number 28 (Monday, July 21, 2008)]
[Pages 984-985]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
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.

[[Page 985]]

    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 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 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.

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.