In a rare White House press conference today, President Obama defended his administration's response to the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and also detailed his immediate plan for offshore oil and gas exploration in the U.S.. But the President also used the opportunity to make a case for the American Power Act introduced into the Senate by John Kerry and Joe Lieberman last week.

"More than anything else, this economic and environmental tragedy, underscores the need for this nation to develop clean, renewable sources of energy. Doing so will not only reduce threats to our environment. It will create a new homegrown industry that will lead to countless new business and new jobs."

Obama said the oil spill "should serve as a wake-up call that it's time to move forward on this legislation," he said.