Text Box: Dear Friends, Today’s skyrocketing gas prices have made daily life difficult for people across the country.  I know the deep concern over this issue and the immediate need for relief at the pump.   Since I came to Congress in 1997, I have voted over 40 times on the floor of the House to support increased capacity, more drilling in the United States, more production using alternative technology, and more energy production from other American sources.  I am proud to stand by this record.  In the short term, we need to increase our ability to explore for oil and gas off our shores and in other areas in the U.S. that have significant amounts of energy.  Unfortunately, there are many in Congress who are unwilling to support measures to increase capacity and production in the United States.  Speaker Nancy Pelosi has voted against every pro-energy bill that has come through Congress this session.  While she has opposed solutions, I have supported clean coal, oil shale, more refineries, ANWR production, and off-shore drilling.   My record includes voting to promote alternate fuels, to increase oil and gas output from ANWR, to create more refineries, to increase clean coal use, and to develop new energy technologies.  An “all of the above” solution includes not only oil and gas, but solar technology, wind, nuclear, and other environmentally friendly alternative energy options.  At a time when we rely more than ever on foreign countries to provide our nation with the energy resources we use daily, we should not be stonewalling opportunities to develop resources locally.  I will continue to support pro-production energy legislation and speak on behalf of these efforts.  As more information becomes available, I will keep you updated.   Sincerely,