Obama: oil spill is a ‘wake up call’ for climate legislation By Ben Geman - 05/27/10 01:18 PM ET President Barack Obama used a White House press conference on Thursday on the Gulf of Mexico oil spill to pressure Congress to approve a sweeping climate change and energy bill this year.
“This disaster should serve as a wake up call that it is time to move forward on this legislation,” Obama said, citing a need to develop “clean” energy sources.
“I call on Democrats and Republicans in Congress, working with my administration, to answer this challenge once and for all,” he added.
Obama spoke amid encouraging signs that BP's latest effort to plug the leak was succeeding. Oil has been spewing into the Gulf for more than a month, and some on Thursday were suggesting the Gulf oil spill would become the worst in the nation's history.
The comments are the latest in a series of remarks by Obama in recent days calling for action on stalled climate legislation, which faces major Senate hurdles.
A broad climate and energy bill narrowly passed the House last year, but is far short of the needed Senate votes.
Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), who have crafted a separate measure, are seeking Senate momentum for their plan but currently lack GOP support.
