To the editor:

If Sen. Pat Roberts is really concerned about homeland security, he would take the lead in advocating higher average miles per gallon for cars and light trucks produced and sold in the next several years. A fleet average increase of 11 miles per gallon would eliminate about two-thirds of our current oil imports. This also would greatly help reduce the United States trade balance of payments deficits.

With greatly reduced oil imports, we wouldn’t need to put our troops at risk guarding oil pipelines in Columbia, the Middle East and Central Asia.

Sen. Roberts, stop simply being a follower of this “oil company” administration, and show some real leadership for the citizens of this state and the nation!

Mark Larson,

Lawrence