THAT’S DEBATABLE:

With gas prices surging to new highs and experts saying most drivers will curb their travel, oil executives told a House panel last week that it wasn’t their fault and they defended their record profits last year. They blame it on growth in global demand, geopolitical events, rising costs, the dollar’s tumble and government restrictions. They say it would help if the U.S. government would make it easier to drill domestically. Would you favor easing restrictions on coastal drilling in California if it would help lower gas prices? Are there any other ways you can help ease the pain at the pump?

I support domestic exploration of energy resources — whether from the land or sea — in areas where environmental, economic and aesthetic effects are minimized and locally supported. Californians, myself included, have made it very clear that we do not want energy exploration off our coast, while people in Alaska and other states along the Gulf of Mexico have made it very clear that they do support it. Each coastal state ought to have the power to decide what is best for their constituencies.”

Rep. John Campbell

(R-Newport Beach)

(Update: Rep. Dana Rohrabacher responded to the question Thursday morning)

I am in favor of utilizing all of America’s oil and gas resources for the benefit of our people off shore or wherever it is as long as it can be done safely. We have monumental amounts of untapped oil and gas in this country and we need to build more refineries and increase the supply.

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher

(R-Huntington Beach)