WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Barrasso, R-Wyo., issued the following statement regarding President Bush’s decision to lift an Executive Order restricting the exploration of the Outer Continental Shelf as part of an effort to ease record high oil prices:
“The keys to bringing down record-high gas prices is to harvest more American energy, and to use that energy more efficiently. The President’s decision to lift the moratorium on deep sea oil exploration is a good step toward achieving American energy self-sufficiency."
“Congress should repeal the moratorium. Millions of Americans are demanding immediate action such as the Gas Price Reduction Act. We need to promote more American energy through coal-to-liquid technologies, offshore exploration, oil shale and nuclear. It will use less and deliver more by supporting new technologies for renewables – like wind and solar."
President Bush also called on Congress to rescind the funding prohibition blocking oil shale activities on federal lands, permit exploration in Alaska and expand domestic refinery capacity so that the United States does not need to import refined product.