Presidential candidate John McCain made official his position regarding to the energy crisis caused by the oil problem. One of the measures he would implement once elected United States President would be to ease the federal ban on offshore oil and gas drilling. The Republican asserted that states should be allowed to authorize exploration off their coasts in order to solve the nation’s energy crisis.

McCain said he would be in favor of granting states “financial rewards" for conceding offshore access. He suggested that the states involved should get a greater share of royalties from the companies that drill for oil.

The senator’s suggestions come as the Republicans are preparing to unite a front against the Congress's Democratic leaders over their resistance to allowing drilling in many areas of the U.S. The move also aims to ease the voter anger over rising energy prices by allowing states to open big stretches of U.S. coastline to oil exploration.

According to a recent poll conducted by The Washington Post and ABC News, nearly 80 percent said rising pump prices are causing them financial hardship.

In his speech held yesterday, McCain told reporters that the U.S. must “embark on a national mission” to eliminate the dependence on foreign oil. However, McCain’s message is the exact opposite of what he said in his 2000 presidential campaign and also a split with environmental activists, as he tries to win the support of independents and moderate Democrats.