One day, we'll be free from the stranglehold of high gas prices and dependence on foreign oil. We'll power our economy with alternative energy sources, leaving the petro-tyrants in Iran, Venezuela and Russia unable to hold the world economy hostage.

To get us there, I support a "kitchen sink" policy. We need to throw everything and the kitchen sink at our energy crisis — conservation, alternative energy, exploration and market fairness.

Rising gas prices are driven primarily by a supply-demand imbalance in global energy markets. Last year, global demand exceeded supply by nearly one million barrels per day. The result: over the past year, gas prices in North Carolina have increased by more than 30 percent. To lower prices, we must decrease demand and increase supply.

I strongly support conservation efforts and investments in alternative energy research to decrease demand for oil. I have co-sponsored numerous bills to pursue those goals, including the Clean Energy Investment Act, Climate Security Act and Clean Energy Tax Stimulus Act.

I also support utilizing America's vast energy resources to increase supply. Surely, it will take several years to bring these energy resources online. But if anything, that means we should move quickly to pursue them. For instance, if President Clinton hadn't vetoed legislation in 1996 to open 2,000 of the 19.6 million acres in a remote area of Alaska for exploration, our current energy deficit would already be reduced by roughly one million barrels of oil per day.

I too worry about the risks of exploration in sensitive natural environments. Careful consideration for North Carolina's pristine coastlines weighed heavily in my decision to support exploration on the Outer Continental Shelf. After all, it was that very concern that spurred my initial opposition to OCS exploration.

When I took my position in 2002, gas was less than $1.40 per gallon. Today, it is more than $4. Families can't afford for Congress to keep energy options off the table, especially when new technology allows for more environmentally sound exploration.

We should also remember that during Hurricane Katrina, there were no significant oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico, where there are roughly 4,000 oil facilities.

Furthermore, the energy plan I support doesn't require OCS drilling. It gives states the option of allowing exploration at least 50 miles offshore. A portion of revenues generated from leases will go to the states and can be used for dredging and other coastal priorities. We should also lift restrictions on oil shale exploration, which could produce more than three times the proven reserves of Saudi Arabia.

However, we shouldn't explore for more petroleum at the expense of alternative energy. We must pursue all available resources, including nuclear, clean coal, natural gas, wind, solar and biofuels. For immediate relief, I support releasing one-third of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. This would increase supply, drive down prices and signal to speculators that the U.S. government is serious about addressing high gas prices.

It is also important to protect consumers from illegal market manipulation and corporate corruption. I am calling for an Oil and Gas Market Fraud Task Force to police oil speculators and ensure that energy markets are functioning properly.

At a time when North Carolina families are getting hammered by skyrocketing gas prices, we need a comprehensive approach to secure our energy future.

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole is an incumbent Republican seeking a second term in office.