Pictured are: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Vice President Dick Cheney (behind President Bush), Veterans Affairs Secretary James Peake, Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt, Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer, Vice President Dick Cheney, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Labor Secretary Elaine Chao, EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Steve Preston, Director of the National Drug Control Policy John Walters, Transportation Secretary Mary Peters, Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne, Chief of Staff Josh Bolten, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, OMB Director Jim Nussle, Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman and Attorney General Michael Mukasey.
President Bush: 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 less dollar they can use to put food on the table, or to pay the rent, or meet their mortgages. The American people are rightly frustrated by the failure of Democratic leaders in Congress to enact common-sense solutions -- like the development of the oil resources on the Outer Continental Shelf.There are now just a couple of days left before Congress leaves for its August recess. Legislation to open up this offshore exploration is pending in both the House and the Senate -- all Democratic leaders have to do is allow a vote. They should not leave Washington without doing so.
Thank you very much.