John Block Reports from Washington

Do you know that we import more than half of our oil? And this country runs on oil. Twenty-five years ago imports were about 35% of our needs. We're importing more every year, and every year more is coming from the volatile Middle East. We even import 7,000,000 barrels per day from our trusted friend Saddam Hussein, costing 4 billion dollars per year. What's going on? Are we crazy? The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries has tried to hold us hostage before. A revolution in Saudi Arabia would panic the United States.

So what should we do? We need to drill more wells. Both oil and natural gas wells. We need renewable energy -- more ethanol and don't forget nuclear power either. What are we waiting for?

President Bush wants an energy bill. But, no! Senator Daschle is pandering to the environmental lobby. They don't want to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). With the whining you hear, you would think we wanted to drill the whole state of Alaska! We're talking about a drill site smaller than my farm. Nobody lives there anyway.

According to Roger Zion in the Washington Times newspaper, "It's not a winter wonderland, but a winter wasteland where winter temperatures reach 70 below zero." Don't listen to the environmental whiners. The caribou don't care!

Oil wells don't harm wildlife. One of our most magnificent National Wildlife Refuges happens to be in Louisiana with oil wells pumping all around. We desperately need to do something about our dependency on foreign energy. It's a matter of nation security.

Until next week, I am John Block from Washington.