House Can Still Stop Sneak Attack On America's Arctic
Statement of Matt Auten, RIPIRG Advocate
As the new home of RIPIRG's environmental work, Environment Rhode Island can be contacted regarding this news release.
On November 3, 2005 the Senate narrowly passed its version of a budget reconciliation bill
after failing to strip out language that would turn America’s Arctic
National Wildlife Refuge into an industrial oil field.
While
we are disappointed in today’s vote, we strongly applaud Senators
Chafee and Reed for voting to reject oil and gas drilling in one of
America’s last wild places.
Now
it’s up to the House of Representatives to stop this sneak attack on
America’s Arctic. A significant number of members on both sides of the
aisle have been outspoken in their opposition to Arctic drilling
language in this unrelated budget bill, creating serious concerns about
whether a bill with Arctic drilling in it can pass the House at all.
Americans
are making their voices heard and sending Congress a message: A vote
for this reconciliation bill is a vote to drill in America’s Arctic.
The
Senate Budget Bill assumes $2.4 billion in revenue from drilling in the
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The budget also contains $13.7 billion
in cuts to Higher Education funding for students and $9.9 billion in
cuts to Medicare and Medicaid. The budget was opposed by numerous
students, consumers, unions and social justice organizations in Rhode
Island.
