by Rep. Adrian Smith (NE)

Last week, as part of the 2009 American Energy Tour, I and other Members of Congress toured parts of America’s Outer Continental Shelf.  We received energy briefings from the Minerals Management Service regarding offshore drilling and leasing processes as well as had the opportunity to learn more about offshore oil and gas production and coastal erosion.
 
We had the opportunity to see the heart of our domestic energy production in action.  Offshore energy development is an important step towards reducing our dependence on foreign sources of oil, but we need to do more.
 
It is clear America needs a comprehensive national energy plan, not a debilitating energy tax under the guise of ‘cap-and-trade.’  An ‘all-of-the-above’ approach to our energy policy – one which includes offshore oil and gas production as well as the advancement of technologies to develop alternative sources of energy such as biofuels – needs to be on the table.