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Pelosi Might Consider Offshore Drilling
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi signaled on Saturday her willingness to consider opening more coastal areas to oil and gas exploration.
In the Democratic Party's weekly radio address, Pelosi (Calif.) said opening portions of the Outer Continental Shelf for drilling will be part of energy legislation that House Democrats intend to put forward in the coming weeks to address oil dependence and high gasoline prices.
Just weeks ago, Pelosi seemed resolved to block any votes to allow offshore drilling. New oil drilling is allowed now only in federal waters in the western Gulf of Mexico and off Alaska.
Pelosi's radio remarks were the latest to hint that Democrats are budging on the issue.
"This comprehensive Democratic approach will ensure energy independence which is essential to our national security, will create millions of good-paying jobs here at home in a new green economy, and will take major steps forward in addressing the global climate crisis," said Pelosi, who criticized Republicans' "drill only" plan.
Republican leaders called Pelosi's proposal a ruse.
She "is deliberately misrepresenting the facts about our plan in order to shift attention away from the Democrats' shameful record," said House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (Ohio). "Her new effort appears to be just another flawed plan that will do little to lower gas prices."
Morning House Fire Kills Seven in Memphis
MEMPHIS -- An early Saturday morning fire killed five children and two adults, but three youths escaped and were being treated for burns.
The two teenagers and an 11-year-old boy who escaped were hospitalized with second-degree burns on their faces and hands, Fire Department spokesman Lt. Keith Staples said.
The cause was under investigation. Authorities were unsure how the survivors escaped, Staples said.
Next-door neighbor Lamar Boyce said two survivors escaped by jumping from a second-story window.
Authorities did not immediately release the identities or ages of the victims. Relatives identified the mother as Melissa Poole, 38, and said she lived in the home with her four children. A niece and nephew were visiting when the fire broke out, they said.
