America’s need for natural gas and oil has not lessened. To the contrary, as more and more gas-fired power plants are built, demand will soar.

Yet just 415 well-drilling rigs are working in the United States. That is an all-time low.

Tactics being used by Saudi Arabia and other oil powers are working. By holding energy prices down, they have made drilling and production in this country less attractive. Their goal is to cripple our domestic gas and oil industries for many years to come.

To whatever extent government policy can counter that, it should be employed. Eliminating obstacles to pipelines and gas export terminals would help.

If something isn’t done, Americans will remain more dependent on foreign sources of energy than they need to be. That does not need to be our future and should not be allowed to occur.