So you can imagine my frustration when conservative radio host Sean Hannity recently criticized Congressional Republicans for failing to act on energy policy. Mr. Hannity, have you been paying no attention? House Republicans need your help to galvanize the American people behind our legislation to increase American energy production. The American people look at you and Rush Limbaugh, the king of talk radio, as leaders of the conservative movement, and we need you to highlight our efforts.

Last week, Rush said, “Frankly, I'm a little tired of hearing Republicans tell us that they can't win. I'm tired of Republicans telling us how many seats they expect to lose in the Senate, how many they expect to lose in the House of Representatives, that this isn't their year. BS. This year has been served up on a silver platter. People vote with their pocketbooks, and Democrats are wrong on the biggest issue since 9/11.”

Rush is exactly right. Republicans can and should win the upcoming election, but to achieve victory, we need the American people to know that House Republicans are fighting daily for more energy exploration, more refineries and more nuclear energy to move American toward energy independence, while the Democrats stand in the way of American production.

We need conservative leaders to talk about bills like Rep. Mac Thornberry’s No More Excuses Energy Act (H.R. 3089), which would increase the supply of energy produced in America. Or Rep. Joe Pitts’ bill (H.R.2279) to build new oil refineries on closed military bases. The list of Republican pro-production initiatives goes on and on.

As a first-term Congressman, I have a target on my back and will likely face a well-funded, anti-production Democrat this fall. Many of my colleagues are in the same situation. The only way Democrats win this fall is if those who talk with tens of millions of Americans each day fail to share Republican efforts to increase American energy production, and Americans cannot afford the consequences of that silence from the right.