Byron Dorgan: “We must develop a national energy plan that makes sense for our long-term future. Every American every day has a claim…”

“We must develop a national energy plan that makes sense for our long-term future. Every American every day has a claim on the need for energy. We need a consistent, predictable supply of energy that is reasonably priced. We need a policy that allows that to happen. When the price of oil went to $10 a barrel for some long while, people stopped looking for oil and natural gas. It is pretty predictable. There were fewer rigs looking for oil when the price of oil and natural gas was very low. When the price of oil went up and natural gas spiked back up, there were more drilling rigs and more people are searching for more oil and natural gas. That is predictable. That is how the market system works. It is not in this country's best interest to have a roller coaster of exploration, and that is what happens. We are too dependent on the OPEC countries. One day we will wake up--I hope this is not the case--it is likely we will wake up when some grotesque terrorist act in the Middle East interrupts the supply of oil...”