She opposed the Consumer-First Energy Act to tax oil companies' profits and allow for investigations of OPEC conspiracies to fix oil prices. But she said she would support a bill that repeals tax credits for the industry that were given back in 2004 and 2005.

She opposes coal-to-liquid technology because of concern for the environment and until two weeks ago was against offshore drilling. She now says she would support giving states the right to open their coastlines to drilling.

Last week, she co-sponsored Senate Bill 3202, major Republican bill, to search for more oil in Western states' shale deposits and off the nation's coastline, including North Carolina.

She says she supports stopping the storage of oil in the nation's Strategic Petroleum Reserve in order to put it into the supply chain.

Sen. Richard Burr, R-Winston Salem: Burr, like Dole, also co-sponsored a Democratic bill to extend tax credits for clean energy.

He co-sponsored a Republican bill suspending adding oil to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve until gas prices fall below $2.50.

He supports creating a gas-tax holiday, though experts have said it would do little to lower gas prices.

He has consistently supported offshore drilling if states support it. Like Dole, he has co-sponsored Senate Bill 3202 to search for more domestic oil.

Like Dole, he opposed the Consumer-First Energy Act to tax oil companies' profits and allow for investigations of OPEC conspiracies to fix oil prices.

Rep. Bob Etheridge, D-Lillington: Etheridge is sponsor of House Bill 6334, which would try to crack down on oil speculation by forcing new transparency rules and adding 100 investigators to the government watchdog agency Commodities Futures Trade Commission.

He also voted along Democratic lines to suspend oil going into the Strategic Petroleum Reserves, provide incentives for renewable energy production and end subsidies for oil companies, and give the Federal Trade Commission new authority to investigate price gouging.

He also voted on the last day of session in favor of Democrats' "Use It or Lose It" bill that would force oil companies to drill on the 68 million acres of leases they already hold before exploring new lands and waters for new oil reserves. That bill failed on a procedural vote.

Rep. Brad Miller, D-Raleigh, and Rep. David Price, D-Chapel Hill: Price and Miller voted along Democratic lines to suspend oil going into the Strategic Petroleum Reserves, provide incentives for renewable energy production and cut subsidies for oil companies, and to give the Federal Trade Commission new authority to investigate price gouging.

They supported legislation allowing the Justice Department to take legal action against OPEC nations that conspire to fix the prices of oil.

Both oppose offshore drilling off North Carolina. They voted on the last day of the session in favor of Democrats' "Use It or Lose It" bill.

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