Keystone Energy Forum

Our country needs more energy. Our government needs more revenue and more Americans need jobs. So why are we not addressing these problems by increasing the production of more oil and natural gas domestically?

In 2010, we spent $72 billion more for imported oil than we did in 2009. Two questions: (1) Why do we continue to send more money to countries who do not necessarily share our common interests when we have so much right here domestically? and (2) Why don't we take this opportunity to keep more of that money here, create thousands of new, well-paying American jobs and take greater control over our nation's energy security by developing our own natural resources?

Turn on the news and there are unsettling pictures from across the globe, including the Middle East. These are regions we send billions of dollars to every year when we buy our energy resources. These dollars support foreign jobs and foreign governments -- some of whom don't always share our values and interests.