Sen. Murkowski Give GOP Address

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) (who recently survived a recount) gives this week's Republican address. The topic is energy. Here's the video link.

Murkowski puts the lie to the Democratic fable that America is running out of oil and outlines Republican plans for increasing the oil supply at a time when Americans are worried about rising gas prices:

We don’t import oil because our domestic reserves are exhausted. Not even close. Since 1919, people have claimed that America is ‘running out of oil.’ It might surprise you that we’re still the world’s third-largest oil producer, and seem to find more whenever we actually look.

“Republicans know that it’s past time to produce more of America’s oil. My home state of Alaska alone has estimated resources in excess of 65 years’ worth of Persian Gulf imports.

“Republicans would end the de facto moratorium on new development in the Gulf of Mexico and parts of the Rocky Mountain West. Instead of canceling leases and refusing to issue permits, we need to put people back to work.

“It’s also time to shelve the bad ideas. Democrats have repeatedly sought to increase taxes and fees while slowing the permitting process. That won’t solve any problems, but it will mean less production, more imports, and higher prices. To boost production, we need to cut red tape and streamline regulations."