U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith is spending the weekend in Alaska to investigate whether allowing oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is a good idea.

Smith said Saturday that he believes America needs to pursue all the energy sources available to meet its needs.

Smith said he believes allowing drilling in ANWR could help meet the nation's needs while alternative energy sources are developed.

Energy experts have said the extraction of ANWR's likely 11 billion barrels of oil would send a signal of increased U.S. interest in domestic energy production. However, in the long run, it likely would not significantly impact oil or gasoline prices.

Smith went to Alaska with a group of his fellow Republican Congressmen.