Washington, D.C. – Senate Energy & Natural Resources Chairman Pete V. Domenici today praised President Bush’s remarks in Ohio. He again pledged his support to make the President’s energy agenda a reality with the budget vote next week on ANWR and continued work on a bipartisan energy bill that helps America produce more, conserve more and diversify our energy supply. Chairman Domenici’s statement: “I applaud the President’s remarks today in Ohio regarding energy. His call to produce more and conserve more energy comes at a critical time for our economy. Today, oil prices fell a few pennies short of the record. More troubling, some U.S. oil analysts are predicting oil could reach $70 a barrel by fall. Demand in China and India is driving these prices. That demand will continue to grow and I fear our energy prices will continue to climb unless we act. We must develop ANWR. The time is now. The United States can’t remain at the mercy of OPEC and a growing global appetite. We must do more to solve our own energy problems and meet our own needs. The oil development I saw in Alaska this weekend is the cleanest oil development in the world. I saw winter wildlife on the tundra grazing peacefully in sight of the clean, tightly clustered wells on the Alpine field. I will fight for ANWR in committee and on the floor. And I will match increased energy production with more conservation and diversification in a bipartisan energy bill to come out of my committee after Easter. President Bush is right. Four years of debate is enough.