WASHINGTON, DC - House Chief Deputy Republican Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA) issued the following statement in reaction to President George W. Bush’s ending the Executive Order banning energy exploration off America’s coasts:

"Now that the President has lifted the Executive Order on deepwater energy exploration, the path is clear for Congress to follow suit.  Skyrocketing gas prices are holding our economy hostage; Republicans are working to end these high prices for the middle-class families across the nation.

 “For Virginia, this will begin the process of exploring for new sources of energy off our shores.  It is my intention that part of the revenue from drilling in the deep waters off the Virginia coast be used to clean up the Chesapeake Bay and other coastal waterways.

“Congress must emulate the President’s action to make it count, however, our solution to this issue must be multi-faceted.  We must focus on conservation of energy, innovation for new technologies as well as exploration for domestic supply.  This starts with the ability to allow the states the option to explore for oil in the deep coastal waters off their shores,” said Cantor.

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