WASHINGTON – Senator Frank H. Murkowski (R-AK), Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, today praised President Bush’s decision to fill the nation’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to its 700 million barrel capacity “Our nation’s energy security must begin and end here at home. We’re only one terrorist attack on a tanker away from a serious and significant disruption of our energy supply out of the middle east. The Strategic Petroleum Reserve will help carry us through such an attack on our energy supply. “The President will use the government’s royalty in kind program to fill our reserve. This creative program was part of the bi-partisan energy bill I introduced earlier this year because it is such an effective tool. “But the Strategic Petroleum Reserve is just that, a reserve. It is no substitute for a comprehensive, long-term plan to reduce our dangerous dependence on foreign oil. “Almost two thirds of every barrel of oil used in this country comes from overseas. Despite conservation efforts and promising new alternative energy sources, we are still dependent on oil to power our planes, our fire trucks, and our buses – not to mention the bombers, fighters, and ships that are fighting the war on terrorism. “The President keeps calling for the Senate to vote on a comprehensive energy bill but the majority still won’t schedule the issue. This would go far in stimulating job growth, boost our economy, and add to our security. The House has done its job. We cannot afford to let the Senate adjourn without doing their job.” ###