July 15, 2008

Pelosi calls Bush drilling push a hoax

Bush's wild claims debunked repeatedly

Despite numerous federal reports to the contrary, President Bush is now claiming that drilling for more oil will lower gas prices across the country.

Bush claims that "the only thing standing between the American people and these vast oil resources is action from the U.S. Congress."

On Monday, the president lifted an executive order that prohibited offshore drilling. A 1981 law barring the practice remains in effect, however, and Congress would have to vote to repeal the law before any drilling could occur. Congressional Democrats have opposed efforts to repeal the ban.

"The sooner Congress lifts the ban the sooner we can get these resources from the ocean floor to the refineries, to the gas pump," the president said.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Monday called the president's decision to lift the executive ban on offshore drilling a "hoax" that won't do anything to reduce prices at the pump. Officials in coastal states, including Florida and California, also have express opposition to Bush's push to expand off shore drilling.