Drill here and drill now is the mantra of many across the nation as gas prices have hit record highs this year. Americans are tired of excuses from Congress about why we're not tapping into our own resources. I am committed to pursuing an "all of the above" approach, which includes drilling on our land and in our waters. My support for increasing domestic oil supplies is solid, going back 14 years with almost two dozen votes on the House floor in favor of drilling in Alaska and off our coasts.

The "Gang of 10" bill, which is pending in the Senate, does not do enough to curb our dependence on foreign oil and I am not a cosponsor of it. Folks want more expansive production than what this bill offers. I support drilling in ANWR and opening ALL our outer-continental shelves to exploration, not just the southeast coasts. We can no longer depend on unstable nations for our energy supply. The only way to ease the pain at the pump is to act now to open our own domestic resources, while also investing in alternative energy technology, like plug-in hybrid vehicles and biofuels, to secure our energy future.

As a member of the House Energy SWAT Team, I closed the bipartisan energy debate at Tulane University in New Orleans on July 28, making the case for the "all of the above" energy strategy. You can listen to my closing statement by clicking on the video section of my website. I have also participated in all the activities supporting the House Republican position to lift the Congressional ban on drilling offshore and in ANWR. I will continue voting to develop all American energy sources.