Reid on Obama gulf speech: “Pass meaningful comprehensive clean energy legislation this year.”

Following President Barack Obama's Oval Office speech in which he laid out his response to the gulf oil spill, Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., put out this statement:

“Nevadans have watched the difficult images from the Gulf of Mexico resulting from the BP oil spill. The damage to the numerous affected industries, hundreds of thousands of Gulf Coast residents and our environment has been profound and will require a sustained recovery effort.

“Tonight the President described the steps that he and his Administration have taken to stop the damage and to pave the way toward the quickest possible recovery and also the efforts that are underway to prevent this from ever happening again. I am committed to working with the Obama Administration to make sure that the victims of this disaster are compensated fairly and that BP is held fully accountable for its negligence.

“I firmly believe that a diverse energy strategy will help our nation reduce pollution, create millions of clean energy jobs that can never be outsourced and lower our dependence on oil. President Obama presented a path to energy independence in his speech tonight that strengthens our economy and protects our environment. He made a compelling case that America cannot delay our pursuit of a national clean energy strategy that makes us more competitive globally. His vision for a clean energy future is already being realized in my home state of Nevada, and I am confident we can replicate that approach nationwide.

“I look forward to working with the President to find a bipartisan path to passing meaningful comprehensive clean energy legislation this year. This legislation can only be passed if Republicans decide to work with us and demonstrate that they share our serious commitment to building a 21st century energy strategy for America.”