"President Bush's 'Rose Garden' rhetoric will not lower gas prices for Americans struggling in a weakening economy. He must work with Democrats in Congress to invest in renewable energy and lessen our dependence on oil," Reid said in a written statement.

'Same failed energy policy'
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) termed Bush's call for more domestic drilling "the same failed energy policy that has brought record gas prices." She said, "Drilling has increased dramatically since 2000—the number of wells on land has increased about 66%—and yet the price of gasoline has more than doubled since President Bush took office."

Authorizing leasing within ANWR would not significant reduce US dependence on foreign oil or reduce retail gasoline prices, Pelosi said. "Experts have concluded that opening up the Arctic for drilling would produce only a 6-month supply of oil 10 years from now [but] nothing that will help consumers today," she said.

Bush said a major reason for higher gasoline prices is that global oil production has not kept pace with growing demand. "Members of Congress have been vocal about foreign governments increasing their oil production. Yet they have been just as vocal in opposition to efforts to expand our production here at home," he said.