Bush: Congress standing between Americans and offshore oil

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.