Pete Domenici: “Last night I spoke to a group of energy experts and gave them the same warning I have been giving since the start of…”

“Last night I spoke to a group of energy experts and gave them the same warning I have been giving since the start of this year in a series of speeches on the Senate floor. That is that the United States faces a grave and growing threat to its well-being. Our economic strength and our energy security is being threatened by our vast dependence on foreign oil. I have said it before and I will say it again: If we do not address this problem in a serious way, America will become poor. I could have added a whole lot to that, but let me repeat: If we don't do something about this vast dependence upon foreign oil, America will become poor, p-o-o-r. Mr. President, $600 billion a year--it looks like is where we are headed--will be sent from this country to other countries to buy crude oil that we are going to turn into gasoline or diesel fuel to use here in America in our transportation system, essentially. We have seen the warnings for years now. I remember when President Nixon launched the Project Independence more than three decades ago.…”