Congressional candidate questions opponent

To the Editor:

On April 24, 2006, Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) berated the Republican-controlled Congress for the average gasoline prices at $2.91.

Pelosi announced that "Democrats have a common-sense plan to help bring down skyrocketing gas prices."

Eighteen months into her leadership role as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi and her "common sense supporters are presiding over the highest oil price increase in history. Last week, gasoline prices averaged $3.94 per gallon.

My question to my opponent and his Speaker of the House is simple: How high must gasoline prices reach before we finally allow for the environmentally safe exploration of domestic oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) and other locations within the United States?

The Department of Energy estimates that ANWR could allow America to produce about a million additional barrels of oil every day, which equates to 27 million gallons of gasoline and diesel fuel pumped back into the economy. Congress continues to stand in the way. Refining capacity is another reason for high fuel prices.

There hasn't been a new refinery built in the United States since the 1970s, and Congress continues to take its lead from the environmental lobbyists and block efforts to build more refineries.

As the Congress continues to focus on steroids in baseball and the naming of postal facilities, the United States continues to deepen its dependency on foreign oil with no meaningful relief in sight. The costs of energy affect all people and commerce.

Now is the time to allow Americans to drill for American oil from American soil.

Sincerely,

Greg Goode, Republican

candidate for U.S. House of Representatives,

Terre Haute