On the heels of President Obama’s own Jobs Council rebuking his Administration’s anti-energy policies, a new poll released this week illustrates overwhelming public support for increased U.S. oil and natural gas production. According to a Harris Interactive poll conducted last December, 70% percent of Americans support increased access to U.S. oil and natural gas. Below are a few other figures from the poll:

• 87% believe that more U.S. oil and natural gas development could lead to more American jobs.
• 83% believe that more U.S. oil and natural gas development could help the U.S. economy and reduce consumer energy costs
• 82% believe that more U.S. oil and natural gas development will increase the nation's energy security.
• 72% believe that more U.S. oil and natural gas development will deliver more revenue to the government.
• 70 % believe that some in Washington are intentionally delaying domestic oil and natural gas development.

Despite this overwhelming public support and prodding from his self-appointed jobs advisers, the President continues to put up road blocks to American energy production, taking this country further down the path of dependence on hostile foreign oil. Just this past week, the President rejected the construction of the Keystone pipeline which would have created tens of thousands of jobs and transported nearly a million barrels of oil a day into the United States, all at zero expense to the American taxpayer.

In contrast, Republicans have listened to the American people and are moving forward with policies to increase American energy production. Over the past year, the House Natural Resources Committee has passed numerous pieces of bipartisan legislation to increase American oil and natural gas production and create millions of good-paying jobs. Unfortunately, most of these bills continue to sit idle in the Democrat controlled Senate. It is time for the President to listen to the American people and his own advisers, and quit putting up roadblocks to American energy production.