The former oilman outlined a green agenda in a 52-minute speech that was interrupted at least 60 times by applause. He called for improving technologies in order to reduce U.S. oil imports from the Middle East 75 percent by 2025.

Looking to restore confidence in his leadership, Bush stood before members of the Congress and the rest of Washington's power elite in the House chamber to map out an election-year agenda for Republicans with a speech that was at times optimistic and at others combative.

And while he vowed to work to improve the tone of debate in Washington, he stuck to national security themes that may be crucial to Republican hopes in November, defending a domestic spying program that has Democrats outraged, and telling his harshest critics on Iraq that "second-guessing is not a strategy."

With three years left in office, Bush is hoping to lift his political fortunes and those of his Republican allies in an election year with control of Congress up for grabs. He is coming off one of the toughest stretches of his presidency, and his job approval ratings hover in the high 30s to low 40s in most polls.

Soaring gasoline prices are a central factor in Bush's fall from grace with Americans. Oil prices are close to record levels and Exxon just reported record profits of $10.7 billion in the fourth quarter of 2005.

"America is addicted to oil, which is often imported from unstable parts of the world," Bush said. "The best way to break this addiction is through technology."

He set a six-year goal for making the alternative fuel ethanol practical and competitive, and vowed to fund additional research into ways to make ethanol not just from the commonly used corn but also from wood-chips or grasses.

The goal, he said, is to "move beyond a petroleum-based economy, and make our dependence on Middle Eastern oil a thing of the past."

Critics doubted Bush ever really severed his ties from the oil industry and were skeptical he would put the kind of effort into conservation and alternative-fuel research they say is needed. His previous energy initiatives have had little impact on prices or supplies.

"The president said tonight that Americans were addicted to oil but this administration is addicted to oil companies, and we won't achieve energy independence until the administration breaks its addiction," said New York Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer.