Obama's Oval Office Speech on Oil Spill: Defends Response, Calls for Energy Reform

In the first Oval Office address of his presidency, Barack Obama discussed what the federal government has done to clean up the BP oil spill and stop the leak, measures to assist hard-hit Gulf Coast residents and local economies, and steps to try to ensure a catastrophe of this magnitude doesn't happen again.

The president also called for comprehensive energy reform, saying the country must end its dependence on fossil fuels and foreign oil to create a clean energy future, but offered few specifics. He vowed that BP will pay for the damage. And in closing, he called on Americans to rally together, echoing statements made in Pensacola, Florida, earlier Tuesday, when he announced: "Make no mistake: the United States of America has gone through tough times before. And we always come out strong. And we will do so again. This region . . . will thrive again."

Obama opened his address with a recap of what happened on April 20, when the BP Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded, and the government's initial response to the disaster. "Because there has never been a leak of this size at this depth," he said, "stopping it has tested the limits of human technology."

He presented an update on the current containment strategy, highlighting official projections that the latest efforts should capture up to 90 percent of the oil leaking from the well over the next few weeks. The president characterized the spill as an epidemic, saying, "Make no mistake: we will fight this spill with everything we've got for as long it takes. We will make BP pay for the damage their company has caused. And we will do whatever's necessary to help the Gulf Coast and its people recover from this tragedy."

Obama then laid out what he termed "the battle plan" to combat the spill. He quantified the federal government's response, including 30,000 personnel working across four states, the marshaling of thousands of ships and vessels, the authorization of more than 17,000 National Guardsmen to be called up at the discretion of Gulf Coast governors, and the use of five and a half million feet of boom to block approaching oil. He noted that millions of gallons of oil had been removed by skimming, burning, and other collection methods, but did not address the latest estimate, released Tuesday evening, which pegs the flow at a much higher rate of 35,000 to 60,000 barrels a day.

Obama cited his recent visit to the gulf, touching upon the history and culture of the region. "I've talked to shrimpers and fishermen who don't know how they're going to support their families this year," Obama recounted. "The sadness and anger they feel is not just about the money they've lost. It's about a wrenching anxiety that their way of life may be lost."

He went on to preview his meeting with BP officials on Wednesday, including an expected announcement about the establishment of an escrow account that will pay out claims for damages resulting from the spill. "This fund will not be controlled by BP," Obama vowed, but he did not name the independent third party that will run it.

Obama then outlined a long-term gulf restoration plan, determined by states, tribes, residents, local communities, businesses and conservationists. "We must make a commitment to the Gulf Coast that goes beyond responding to the crisis of the moment," he said, announcing that the restoration plan will be led by Ray Mabus, Secretary of the Navy, former governor of Mississippi, and "a son of the gulf."

Following this, the president discussed steps to minimize the chances of a future catastrophe, including the establishment of a national commission to examine the causes of the spill and recommend new, additional safety mechanisms. He also addressed the six-month moratorium on deep water drilling, urging the commission to complete its investigation as soon as possible to alleviate pressure on those who have already sustained economic damage, adding that he expected the commission "to do that work thoroughly and impartially."

Obama went on to announce the appointment of Michael Bromwich to head the Minerals Management Service bureau. A "tough" assistant U.S. attorney and Justice Department inspector general, Bromwich "will act as the oil industry's watchdog -- not its protector."

The president also pushed for comprehensive energy reform, saying, "For decades we have known the days of cheap and easily accessible oil were numbered," and that "for decades, we have failed to act with the sense of urgency that this challenge requires." Obama cited a lack of political courage and candor and called on the American public to end its addiction to fossil fuels and its dependence on foreign oil.

"We cannot consign our children to this future," Obama said. "Now is the moment for this generation to embark on a national mission to unleash American innovation and seize control of our own destiny." He highlighted investments already made in clean energy through the recovery act, like wind turbine factories, fuel efficient cars and new developments in clean technology.

Obama wrapped up his address with a national rallying cry, saying, "Each of us has a part to play in a new future that will benefit all of us," and that now was the time to "seize the moment." He stated that status quo on energy reform was unacceptable, warning, "The one approach I will not accept is inaction," and reiterated his commitment to securing passage of clean energy legislation.

The president recalled America's history of revolution and innovation, saying, "We have refused to settle for the paltry limits of conventional wisdom ... what has defined us as a nation since our founding is our capacity to shape our destiny -- our determination to fight for the America we want for our children."

And he invoked a prayer, of sorts. "The oil spill is not the last crisis America will face. ... What sees us through -- what has always seen us through -- is our strength, our resilience, and our unyielding faith that something better awaits us if we summon the courage to reach for it. Tonight, we pray for that courage."

Read the president's remarks here.