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Washington • President Obama, facing a persistent spike in gasoline prices and continuing political instability in oil-producing regions overseas, sought to reassure the nation Wednesday that he has a comprehensive plan to reduce American reliance on imported energy.

Speaking to students at Georgetown University in Washington, the president sought to focus America's attention on what he called "a new goal" for U.S. energy policy — reducing oil imports by one-third by 2025.

To meet that goal, he offered a largely recycled set of policy proposals wrapped in urgent rhetoric about the need for Congress to stop talking and start acting. He complained that politicians in Washington often will "rush to propose action when gas prices are high and then hit the snooze button when they fall again."

In his first energy policy address since the Japanese nuclear crisis, President Obama said the rising cost of oil is evidence that the U.S. needs a comprehensive, long-term energy plan instead of short-term solutions spurred by periodic price spikes.

The president did not dwell on the ongoing nuclear disaster that has resulted in the release of radioactive material into the atmosphere worldwide and contaminated Japanese crops and drinking water. While saying he had asked for safety reviews of U.S. nuclear plants, he reasserted his commitment to nuclear power.

Obama stressed that the nation can slash its oil imports by a third through expanding domestic energy production, encouraging use of natural gas in cars and trucks, boosting the development of biofuels and improving fuel efficiency.

Several analysts said the country is on its way to meeting Obama's goal. More fuel-efficient cars, mandates to use biofuels, and high prices are cutting into gasoline demand. Domestic oil production rose in consecutive years after two decades of declines thanks to new discoveries in shale deposits throughout the West. Oil imports have fallen 25 percent since 2005 when the nation imported a record 12.5 million barrels of oil per day.

"We could cut our imports in half. It's very doable," said Fadel Gheit, an analyst at Oppenheimer & Co.

Obama also touted natural gas as an abundant, cleaner-burning power source, and mandated purchase of alternative-fuel cars by the U.S. government starting in 2015.

He took several political swipes at Republicans who have been crying "drill, baby, drill" and vowing to open large swaths of the Alaskan tundra, Gulf of Mexico and Southeastern United States to new energy production. "The truth is, none of these gimmicks, none of these slogans, made a bit of difference," he told the students.

Oil and gas industry leaders embraced President Obama's message of energy independence but many were skeptical of the specifics.

"Despite the rhetoric coming from the Obama administration, the federal government continues to add new burdens to the federal oil and natural gas leasing and permitting process," said Barry Russell, president and CEO of the Independent Petroleum Association of America.

American Gas Association president Dave McCurdy, a former Oklahoma congressman, called the speech "a step in the right direction." Texas energy executive T. Boone Pickens, author of his own plan to reduce oil imports through expanding use of renewable domestic resources and natural gas, said Obama's emphasis on domestic energy alternatives was "a great move forward."

On Capitol Hill, Republicans were scathing in their assessment of the speech. "The American people need action from President Obama, not another lecture," said Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, "especially as skyrocketing gas prices are crippling middle-class families and small businesses."

Some environmental groups expressed concern about Obama's endorsement of additional oil and gas exploration.

"This speech was more about polluting the future than winning it," said Friends of the Earth Climate and Energy director Damon Moglen. "President Obama today doubled down on his support for dirty energy sources including the nuclear, corn ethanol, oil, natural gas, and coal industries, while going AWOL on a crucial fight over the Clean Air Act."