** Preview of the President's 12:45pm Press Conference **

A White House official previews President Obama’s remarks and press conference on the Gulf and BP, to be held at 12:45 p.m. in the East Room: “The President will discuss the conclusions of the 30-day safety review on offshore drilling he directed Secretary Salazar to conduct. He will announce standards to strengthen oversight of the industry and enhance safety, a first step in a process that the independent Presidential Commission will continue. While the Commission performs its work to determine how to prevent this from ever happening again, the moratorium on permits to drill new deepwater wells will continue for a period of six months. In addition, the planned exploration off the coast of Alaska in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas will be delayed pending the Commission’s review, and the August lease sale in the Western Gulf will be cancelled. The lease sale off the coast of Virginia will also be canceled due to environmental concerns and concerns raised by the Defense Department. Secretary Salazar briefed President Obama and senior advisors on the report last evening in the Oval Office.”

http://www.politico.com/playbook/