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Last summer we all dreaded every trip to the gas pump. Prices soared to $4 a gallon, putting a strain on every Missouri family and business. Today, gas prices are about half as much as they were last summer.
However, we are still dependent on foreign sources of oil. Now is the time for Congress to take action so that we do not see the return of $4 gas. We need to increase the use of renewable and alternative energy, we need to increase the number of refineries, we need a smart energy conservation plan and we need to keep exploring for energy in America.
Congress should act quickly to pass legislation to allow energy exploration in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) and on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). I have supported this legislation every time it has been brought up for a vote in the House of Representatives.
ANWR is an area the size of South Carolina with billions of barrels of recoverable oil. New technology means that we could explore the entire region while leaving a footprint the size of Kansas City International Airport.
Last year, the ban on exploring for energy on the OCS expired. Yet, many new leases are tied up in bureaucracy or litigation. Congress should send a strong signal that it is serious about energy independence by authorizing energy exploration on the OCS. We are the only developed country in the world that does not allow for exploration that far off our coast.
We need to take advantage of our own resources and act now before $4 gas returns.
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