Rep. Mike Pence: Increase Domestic Oil Production

This is a rush transcript from "Your World with Neil Cavuto," May 26, 2008. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

BRENDA BUTTNER, GUEST HOST: So, enough is enough. My next guest says we need to start drilling to bring these [gas] prices down.

He's Republican Congressman Mike Pence of Indiana.

Congressman, thanks for joining us.

REP. MIKE PENCE, R-IND.: Thank you, Brenda. Great to — great to get with you from Indiana.

BUTTNER: So, start drilling, stop depending so much on foreign dictators to give us what we need, our oil?

PENCE: Well, look, I did two parades today here in Eastern Indiana. Gasoline is at $3.99 a gallon.

And while your report suggested accurately, that — that may be affecting vacation plans, it has no impact whatsoever on business, especially business on the farm. Tractors are in the field. They have got to buy the gasoline and the diesel. And we have to lessen our dependence on foreign oil.

And people I talk to today at parades and festivals repeatedly said to me that it is all about the supply. We have to allow the American people greater access to American oil. And that means more drilling in Alaska, more drilling offshore. And we can do it all in an environmentally responsive way.

BUTTNER: Pretty tough, though, with the Democrats controlling Congress.

PENCE: You know, it is tough.

And it was also tough when Republicans controlled Congress. When I was in the Republican majority, we voted, I think, five different times to open the Alaskan National Wildlife region up to environmentally, tightly controlled exploration.

BUTTNER: Yes.

PENCE: And we could not get there.

There has never been a pro-drilling majority in Congress. But I think that is changing. The American people should know that 90 percent of Republicans have always voted for more drilling. Ninety percent of Democrats have always voted against more drilling. But at $3.99 a gallon in Indiana, I think that is going to change, Brenda.

BUTTNER: Well, even the Saudis say that we should be producing more oil.

PENCE: Well, you know, I was one that was frustrated to see the president, you know, go hat in hand to the House of Saud, but you can't hardly blame them for looking at us and the vast resources that we have, not only offshore, not only in Alaska, but in the oil shale and elsewhere, and you can't hardly blame the Saudis for saying, don't ask us to pump more oil. Why don't you pump more oil?

And that is one issue upon which the Saudis and this congressman can agree.

BUTTNER: Well, this is a big issue.

And I just want to shift gears, because it is a big election-year issue. Has Senator McCain talked to you at all about getting on his ticket?

(LAUGHTER)

PENCE: You know, he has not. We are very good friends. We have worked together on battling runaway spending under Republican control. We have traveled to Iraq and stood together on behalf of the surge.

But he has not talked to me about that issue. But, if you bump into him, Brenda, you can tell him I would certainly take the call.

(LAUGHTER)

BUTTNER: You would? So, that would something you would be interested in?

All right. We will let him know that.

PENCE: Well, not interested, but honored to be asked.

(LAUGHTER)

BUTTNER: We will let him know that, especially if you come on FOX to make that kind of announcement.

(LAUGHTER)

PENCE: That's a deal.

BUTTNER: All right, thank you so much, Congressman. We do appreciate it.

PENCE: Great. Have a great Memorial Day.

BUTTNER: You, too.

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