Pelosi wants Bush to stop filling Petroleum Reserve

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) Thursday called on President Bush to stop filling the Strategic Petroleum Reserve as a way to reduce gas prices at the pump.

{mosads}Her call came after days of demands by House Republicans that she produce a plan to reduce gas prices.

“I call upon the president today to work with Democrats to lower gas prices,” Pelosi said.

The Speaker stated that the reserve is 97 percent full, and cited experts saying that the move could reduce gas prices by as much as 5 cents.

Pelosi also called on the president to support legislation that she said would “hold OPEC accountable” for high gas prices and end what she considers to be subsidies to big oil companies.

“All of these are part of saying the leverage is with the consumer and not big oil,” Pelosi said.

The political drumbeat against high gas prices in the House coincides with Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) making the issue a campaign talking point.

The presumptive GOP nominee has called for a temporary suspension of the gas tax to help consumers get through the summer months.