"Hi, I'm Senator John Barrasso from Wyoming.
"Many Americans spend their Memorial Day weekend traveling with family to visit relatives and friends.
"It's a weekend of ceremonies, parades and cookouts.
"Memorial Day is a time to remember America's fallen heroes – men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for the safety and prosperity of our great country.
"This weekend we pay tribute to their courage.
"Today I'd like to visit with you about the energy we use to power our nation.
"Republicans support a comprehensive energy plan. A plan that puts Americans to work. A plan that harnesses American resources.
"You may have heard that Democrats in Washington are looking to limit our country's energy options.
"It's true. They want to put a new tax on American energy. A new tax every time you turn on a light switch. American families already spend more than $2,000 a year on home energy costs alone.
"No one wants to pay higher energy costs. We must produce more American energy and use less.
"We need to make America's energy as clean as we can, as fast as we can, without raising energy prices for American families.
"That means developing renewable energy and alternative energy.
"It means doubling our investment in energy research.
"It also means responsibly exploring and developing American oil and gas resources, and promoting clean coal and nuclear power.
"The Republican plan will strengthen our economy, protect our environment, and enhance our national security.
"Democrats have focused solely on what they call green jobs. Those are jobs from alternative energy.
"I support green jobs, but why discriminate?
"American energy means American jobs, which is why I support red, white, and blue jobs.
"We should harness the strong work ethic and the creativity of the American people.
"We are a nation that sent men to the moon and safely returned them to Earth.
"Surely we have the creativity and the knowledge to use our nation's energy resources to power our country.
"And with the continued global instability, using American energy seems more important than ever before.
"Energy use around the world continues to increase. It will increase 50 percent in the next 20 years.
"Wind and solar power are very important. We must continue to develop these resources.
"Right now they only count for roughly one percent of U.S. electricity.
"I'm a strong supporter of renewable energy. In Wyoming we have world-class wind resources. But even if we double our nation's wind and solar energy, and then double it again, it won't be enough to meet our energy needs.
"We need more energy. And we need it even at times when the wind isn't blowing and the sun isn't shining.
"There remains a large gap – an energy gap between the reliable energy that we need – and the renewable energy that we want.
"There is plenty of American energy which the Democrats say that we should not use.
"There are billions of barrels of oil in the Outer Continental Shelf. There's even more in Alaska. There's enough oil shale in the Rocky Mountain west alone to power America for the next hundred years.
"The Democrats say all this American energy is off limits.
"When we limit our use of American energy, we become more dependent on foreign oil.
"As a nation, we need to be more energy independent. It is a matter of energy security, as well as national security.
"My home state of Wyoming is the largest net supplier of energy in the country.
"Visitors from around the world come to Wyoming because of our national parks and our beautiful wide-open landscapes.
"In Wyoming, we have found the right balance between protecting our environment and developing our energy resources.
"Americans need more energy. More from our American sources – all of our sources – all of our American sources. And importantly, we must do more to promote conservation, boost the efficient use of energy, and double our nation's investment in energy research.
"Each of these pieces is an essential part of creating American jobs, reducing our reliance on foreign oil, and keeping our energy affordable.
"As we approach this Memorial Day, it is my hope that the Democrats can work with us to develop solutions to make our energy supply clean, affordable, and reliable.
"Thank you for listening."
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