The average price of regular gasoline in Arkansas is up 20 cents from a month ago and the Associated Press reports the cost is the highest ever for this time of year. The reality of rising gas prices is a costly reminder of how dependent our country is on foreign oil. This story in today’s Arkansas Democrat Gazette (subscription required) shows why we need to stop relying on oil from countries that don’t like us. We need a reliable, dependable source of energy and that starts here at home. We need to use American energy resources and develop alternative fuel options to reverse the climbing prices at the pump.

Projects like the Keystone XL pipeline are necessary to increase our energy supply and security and put Americans back to work.

I have long supported legislation that puts billions of dollars of research into wind, solar, hydrogen and other technologies that will ease our dependence on foreign oil and gas, but we need relief now and American oil and gas are necessary and available.