WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, released the following statement in advance of President Obama’s Oval Office address on the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

“Like all Montanans, I’m deeply concerned with the short and long-term effects of this environmental disaster.  This situation was avoidable, and those who are responsible must be held accountable.  Unfortunately, many have decided to use this spill as an excuse to cut back our domestic energy production.  That merely shifts energy production to foreign shores of the Middle East, Russia and Venezuela.  No one wants a repeat of what happened in the Gulf, and the best chance of succeeding in that goal is to keep the energy production right here at home, where the will to protect the environment meets the technological ability to make it happen.”