T. Boone's Statement on Meeting with Sen. John McCain

T. BOONE PICKENS STATEMENT ON MEETING WITH U.S. SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN (R-AZ) IN ASPEN, COLORADO

Dallas, TX, August 15, 2008 – Below is a statement issued by T. Boone Pickens following his meeting this morning with U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) in Aspen, Colorado:

“It was a pleasure to sit down with Senator McCain and discuss firsthand an issue that is America’s top priority: ending our dependence on foreign oil, which today is approaching 70 percent. We plan on having a similar meeting with Senator Obama in the very near future. I have repeatedly stressed the nonpartisan aspects of my initiative. This is a threat to our economic and national security and something that requires bipartisan support.

During the meeting I reiterated the urgency of the situation. I told him that any credible domestic energy policy must reduce our foreign dependence on foreign oil by at least 30% in the next 10 years (on top of conservation that is beginning to happen), must utilize proven and available technologies and be 100 percent comprised of American resources.

We discussed my plan in some detail. I also outlined our progress in building more than one million supporters who are actively pushing this issue with the goal of getting legislation passed in the first 100 days of the next administration that will get us on the path to radically reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

While I can not speak for the Senator, my sense is that he was interested and encouraged by the work we are doing and recognizes that citizen education and citizen involvement is key to changing course and actually developing a real energy policy with teeth that will help this country from our current disastrous path.”