In response to Mike Riley's letter last week, I think we need to state some facts about our oil and what Congress is doing about it.

Fact #1: For a quick fix at the gas pump, the President needs

to tap into our Strategic Petroleum Supply. This would bring

down the cost of gasoline and so many American Families

need help.

Fact #2: For a long-term effect, President Bush and other G.O.P. members want to do off shore drilling in the Outer Continental Shelf if states that border it agree for the drilling to be done. This ban on drilling is the ban President Bush lifted on July 14th. His father had placed it in 1990.

Fact #3: For a long-term effect, the Democrats considered a bill in the House on July 17th. H. R. 6515 failed although 27 Republicans voted for it. It did not have the 2/3rd votes needed to pass. The President threatened to veto it if it did pass. H.R. 6515 required oil companies that hold leases on Federal land to begin drilling or lose their lease. It also required the Bureau of Land Management to pursue new leases in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska and all oil found would not be sold overseas.

There are 68 million acres available for drilling where oil is known to exist, not speculating as the Republicans would have us do.

I don't have all the answers, but I would say we should use all options and not let this be a political football.