David Thomas: “No. I think the Senator from Massachusetts has had ample time to discuss this issue. One of the things we need to do is…”

“No. I think the Senator from Massachusetts has had ample time to discuss this issue. One of the things we need to do is take a real look at this, of course. ANWR was set aside for future exploration, no question about that. ANWR, obviously, will reduce our dependence on foreign oil. We are nearly 60-percent dependent on foreign oil in an unstable world such as we have now. ANWR is the largest onshore prospect for oil and gas. That is clear. It is clearly there. ANWR would require the toughest environmental standards ever imposed on energy production, and that goes back to this idea of having multiple use, to be able to do it with this 2,000-acre footprint and, at the same time, preserve that environment. We can do that. It creates jobs, of course, for the whole country and for Alaska, for the Native Americans who live there. It gives us a more affordable and reliable energy. That is the basis. Many of us have been working on energy for a very long time. We need to have that reliable source. We are going to look for new ways, and we will find new ways.”