US President Wants More Offshore Drilling

U.S. President George Bush is again calling on opposition Democrats in
Congress to expand offshore oil drilling. VOA White House Correspondent
Scott Stearns reports, high energy prices are a big part of this year's
presidential campaign.

When lawmakers return to work next month,
President Bush says they should allow for more offshore oil drilling.
In his weekly radio address, he says he has lifted executive limits on
that drilling and it is time for Congress to end its offshore ban.

"This
exploration is now banned by a provision included in the annual
interior appropriations bill," said the president. "When Congress
returns they should remove this restriction so we can get these vast
oil resources from the ocean floor to your gas tank."

Democrats
say they generally support more offshore drilling but want oil
companies to start by exploring the more than 27 million hectares of
land they are already leasing from the federal government.

In
the Democratic radio address, New Hampshire Senate candidate Jeanne
Shaheen says President Bush and his Republican party have driven
America's economy into the ground.

"They have protected
billions in tax give-aways for big oil and tax loopholes for businesses
who ship jobs overseas rather than making a serious commitment to the
development of clean alternative energy that can transform our economy
and create thousands of new jobs," she said.

Public opinion
polls show many voters are concerned about high energy prices, so that
is a part of this year's presidential campaign.

The Republican
Party's national committee is running a television commercial backing
the president's call for more offshore drilling. The Republican ad
champions the energy policy of its presidential candidate, Arizona
Senator John McCain, over the Democratic opponent, Illinois Senator
Barrack Obama.

The Obama campaign is running a commercial that
seeks to link McCain with President Bush and what Obama says is a White
House that has been too close to big oil companies.

A
public opinion poll by CBS News and The New York Times this past week
asked voters what is the most important thing for them in deciding the
next president. Forty percent said the economy and jobs. Gas prices and
energy policy tied for second with the war in Iraq at 15 percent.