Bush to Lift Offshore Drilling Ban(Jeremy Pelofsky and Tom Doggett)

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Oil Platform

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President George W. Bush plans to lift a ban on offshore drilling on Monday to combat soaring energy prices, a largely symbolic move unlikely to have any short-term impact on the high cost of gasoline.

With prices at the pump over $4 a gallon, Bush has been pushing the Democratic-controlled Congress to expand offshore drilling and give oil companies access to the Arctic Wildlife National Refuge amid strong opposition from environmentalists.

High gasoline prices and soaring food prices have irked American consumers in a presidential election year, when Bush's Republicans are trying to keep the White House and wrest control of Congress from Democrats.

Bush's move is largely symbolic, however, because Congress too has a ban on offshore drilling and while it expires on September 30, it could be renewed. Government officials also say it would take years for any oil to be produced in those areas.