Jeff Merkley actually said...

"Oil dependence means that the enabled foreign governments to impose unreasonably high gasoline prices on U.S consumers who have no alternative but gasoline to run their cars and get to work."

"We need to take charge of our economic health, our economic future which means breaking our addiction to foreign oil."

"The Promoting Electric Vehicle Act of 2011 represents a critical step in ending the very real economic and national security threats posed by our dependence on imported oil."

"Transportation now accounts for approximately 71 percent of American oil consumption."