With the Congressional bans on offshore drilling and shale oil exploration expiring, the free-market grassroots group Americans for Prosperity (AFP) today called for fast-tracking government leases for energy exploration to help spur job creation and economic growth.

There is genuine upheaval in credit markets, and no shortage of blame to go around, starting with the government-pushed idea that nearly everyone, whether they can afford it or not, should be a homeowner.

Americans for Prosperity is hosting a town hall meeting tonight at 6pm at the West Boynton Beach Library in Boynton Beach, FL.

Supporters of off-shore drilling at the rally said they're afraid gas will reach $8 a gallon in the future if the U.S. doesn't start drilling.

"There is a wealth of resources off America's coast," Geoff Macley said.

A 26-year ban on offshore oil and gas drilling crumbled Wednesday when the U.S. House agreed to allow drilling as close as 3 miles from the Atlantic and Pacific coasts.