US president lifts offshore drilling ban
Updated
The United States president, George W Bush, has lifted an executive ban on offshore drilling for oil that has stood since before his father was president.
For the past 27 years consecutive US government's have banned energy companies from drilling in waters along the East and West coasts of America and in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, to protect beaches and coastal states tourism economies.
But now with record petrol prices, President Bush says the US Congress must take action.
"I've taken every step within my power to allow offshore exploration of the OCS," he said.
"All that remains is for the Democratic leaders in Congress to allow a vote. The American people are watching the numbers climb higher and higher at the pump and they're waiting to see what the Congress will do."
