President Bush is "very concerned" about the soaring price of gasoline but has no intention of asking Americans to dramatically limit their fuel consumption to improve energy supplies, White House spokesman Ari Fleischer told reporters on May 7. Asked whether the president was considering a campaign urging Americans to change their lifestyles and conserve gasoline, Fleischer replied: "That's a big no. The president believes that it's an American way of life, and that it should be the goal of policymakers to protect the American way of life. The American way of life is a blessed one." A special task force led by Vice President Cheney plans to present Bush with recommendations that would establish a far-reaching national energy policy designed to increase oil exploration and production in the USA. Bush also does not favor calls to lower gas prices by reducing or eliminating the federal gasoline tax, which is 18.4 cents a gallon, "because quick fixes don't work," Fleischer said. Instead, he will propose long-range changes designed to limit hikes at the pump, according to Fleischer. Retail gasoline prices increased last week to an all-time record. Prices jumped 7.7 cents a gallon to a national average of $1.70 for all grades, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.