With Gas Prices Climbing, Allen Renews Call For American Energy Independence Plan

With Gas Prices Climbing, Allen Renews Call For American Energy Independence Plan

April 21, 2006

WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator George Allen (R-VA) today called on American lawmakers, energy executives, scientists and researchers to recommit themselves to a sustained full scale effort to achieve American energy independence.
"With Virginians and Americans facing gas prices this week above three dollars per gallon and with gas shortages becoming more common, it is past time for this country to get serious about producing more of our own energy and diversifying our energy practices," said Senator Allen. "We continue to base our energy policy and prices on an unstable, hostile region of the world 8,000 miles away where we are dependent on the whims of some Iranian mullah. If Americans don't want to see skyrocketing gas prices we must make the decision to explore for and use domestic oil. In addition, we need to expedite our research efforts to produce alternative fuels such as bio-fuels and natural gas and sources of energy as well as efficiency and conservation."

Allen continued, "Some of us in the Senate have been working in the face of great criticism for our energy independence, to lower gasoline prices and provide adequate supplies through energy production, innovation, and diversity. In the last year alone I have sponsored legislation to bring common-sense regulations by refining the five cleanest fuels rather than 104 specialty boutique fuels which stress our limited refining capacity and cause shortages. I have supported a bill to allow individual States to determine for themselves if they want to explore for natural gas and oil in the deepest waters off the outer continental shelf. I have supported the use of our oil reserves on the barren north slope of Alaska, a plan that would no doubt help to lower oil prices. I have called on federal law enforcement and the Attorney General of Virginia to investigate and prosecute any business that colludes to push gas prices artificially high. And for our long-term plans, I supported the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to develop domestic clean coal and advanced nuclear technology. Moreover, we must embrace advances in nanotechnology using lithium-ion batteries and solar power."

"It's common sense that when demand for gas in America and the world has gone up so have the prices with uncertainty in Iran, Nigeria and Venezuela. For our own energy security and to bring those prices down we must make the sustained commitment to create, produce and grow more of our own energy here in America for America's jobs, America's economy and American security," concluded Allen.

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