John Thune: “as Americans go to the gas pump to fill up their gas tanks with gasoline, they are met with a very harsh economic…”

“as Americans go to the gas pump to fill up their gas tanks with gasoline, they are met with a very harsh economic reality. We have higher gas prices in this country. We don't have enough supply in this country. Of course, we have lots of demand, and demand continues to grow not only in the United States but around the world. As the Senator from Oklahoma said, we have been trying to take steps now for a decade to address this issue of shortage of supply. As consumers look at the prices they are facing today and the fact that we, for the past decade, have really, for all intents and purposes, done nothing to lessen our dependence on foreign sources of energy or to add to energy resources we have in this country, that reality is starting to take root. I think people are realizing that now for the very first time, and they are taking the steps they can to curb demand. They are carpooling, buying more fuel-efficient vehicles, probably walking more than they used to. I think consumers are doing what they can on their side of the equation to try to address the demand issue. We have a profound supply issue that has been complicated by a decade of obstruction in the U.S. Congress when it comes to increasing that supply. We have tried for the past decade--I was a Member of the House of Representatives for three terms and now as a Member of the Senate. We have had the opportunity to vote on numerous occasions to explore and produce oil on the North Slope of Alaska.…”