The American people have been blessed with the unique gift of harnessing individual power to achieve the impossible. A brief history of the twentieth century offers us proof. After years of economic hardship, the country united to defeat fascism and rebuild a continent torn apart by war. Only a few short years later, President Eisenhower laid the foundations for a national highway system that would unite the nation like never before, turning America into the economic and cultural power it was destined to become. President John F. Kennedy set the ambitious goal of putting a man on the moon by the end of the sixties, and in the summer of 1969, Neil Armstrong made that dream a reality.

We were able to achieve these noble goals because our leaders had the courage and vision to call upon our better virtues. In every case, Americans answered these challenges and unlocked new opportunities for the future. But there are still challenges to be met and causes worth fighting for.

There is one such goal that I firmly believe has the potential to unite our country, that I believe we should all join in pursuing. A goal with the power to protect our environment, improve our economy, and strengthen our national security. That goal is energy independence.

Today, as it's become clear that the days of affordable oil are behind us, we have a rare opportunity to change direction and pursue this noble goal. We must launch an Apollo-style program to end our dependence on foreign oil. This is not a problem we can simply drill our way out of. The answer is not finding more oil, but rather, using less. Though Dick Cheney has cynically told us that conservation is nothing more than a "personal virtue," I strongly disagree. Conservation, along with developing sustainable energy resources that do not rely on fossil fuels, is key to establishing American energy independence.

Of course, how can Washington be expected to breaking its dependence on oil when Congress must first break its dependence on big oil companies? Even as Americans were hurting at the pump, Big Oil took in $100 billion in combined profits last year, over a third of that going to ExxonMobil alone. Yet the Bush administration and the Bush Congress still sees fit to reward Big Oil with billions in unnecessary tax breaks - $2.5 billion just last year.

In the Senate, I requested that the Government Accountability Office open an investigation into the tens of billions of dollars in unpaid fines it's estimated that Big Oil owes the American people. I also introduced legislation to repeal Big Oil's unnecessary tax breaks and provide real relief at the pump for American families. Predictably, Bush's Republican Congressional cronies, keen on protecting their Big Oil allies, blocked the move. Tom Kean, Jr., my opponent in this race, is well-known as a friend to and beneficiary of Big Oil's largesse and would likely join their ranks.

But holding Big Oil responsible and providing relief at the pump are only the first step. As part of a long-term plan for energy independence, we ought to require Detroit to their vehicles more fuel-efficient, offering targeted incentives to build more hybrid and flex-fuel vehicles. We need to explore more efficient forms of ethanol, developed from crops other than corn. We must invest in the development of sustainable energy sources like biomass, wind, and solar. And we should include energy efficiency as a standard in our building codes that is considered right alongside public safety.

In addition to passing laws, the federal government can lead by example. Right now, I'm trying to do my part by making my office the first zero net carbon emissions office in the Senate. By determining our carbon footprint - taking into account factors like the electricity we consume in our offices and fuel we use in our travels - I know how much we need to offset through the purchase of clean energy from wind farms and other sustainable energy providers. If you live in New Jersey, you can even do this in your own home by signing up for the state's Clean Energy program, a model that can and should be replicated all across America.

Make no mistake, a successful energy plan will require both discipline and sacrifice. But the same innovative spirit and strength of purpose that has made America great in the past can help deliver the benefits of energy independence in the future.

Taking the lead on clean technology will improve American competitiveness. Taking the lead in the fight against global climate change will help restore much of the respect that we have lost around the world in recent years. And taking the lead in cutting the funding of the very regimes that finance terrorism and spread instability around the world will be a massive investment in our national security for generations to come.

I urge all of you to visit my website, Stand Up To Big Oil, for more information about the energy policy proposals I've put forward in the Senate, as well as helpful tips for dealing with high fuel costs on a daily basis. American energy independence is long overdue. This is a problem we can no longer afford to ignore.