WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Frank H. Murkowski, Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, released the following statement today after the Senate voted to table an amendment by Senator Bill Nelson (D - Fla.) regarding lease sale 181. “Abundant, reliable, affordable energy has always been the basis of our security. Not only our national security but our own personal security at home, our economic security on the job, and the financial security of our future. “As our dependence on foreign energy increases, that security is threatened. Now is not the time to be taking more and more of our own resources off the table. Every acre we put off limits is one more barrel of oil or cubic foot of gas we’ve got to import. Exploring our own resources in the Gulf of Mexico represents an important part of efforts to reduce our foreign dependence. “Lease sale 181 represents significant, bipartisan cooperation between Congress and the Administration, the federal government and the states. “In the midst of this energy crisis, we need a comprehensive, balanced solution. One that not only offers new efforts toward conservation and efficiency, but one that increases domestic production, too. Using advanced technology and American ingenuity, we can safely explore for resources in places like 181 while we protect our environment.” ###