With Missourians facing $4 gas, Congress needs to get its act together and address energy prices. Not only are high gas prices affecting every family who has to drive to work or get their kids to school, it is harming our economy.

Just a few weeks ago I was at a small business in Liberty. Because of out-of-control gas prices, they are now spending more on fuel than they are on wages and benefits for their employees. Something is seriously wrong when a small business is spending more on gas than they are on their employees.

This is not the only business that is threatened by high gas prices. Employees and small businesses across Missouri, from the local pizza shop to the local factory, are feeling the pinch.

Unless we address the problem now, and end our dependence on foreign oil, we face the potential of an even bigger energy crisis. If there is one terrorist attack or one country decides to turn off the spigot we could face an energy crisis as bad as or worse than the 1970s.

When OPEC shut off oil to our country in the 1970s, it devastated the U.S. economy. There were lines at gas stations, rationing of fuel, and runaway inflation. Our dependence on foreign oil has left our country virtually defenseless in the event we are cut off from foreign oil.

We must act now to end our dependence on foreign oil. Opening up American drilling and investing in alternative fuels will increase our domestic supply and ensure that our economy is never again at the mercy of foreign oil.