Energy Bill Update--How Senators Voted on Drilling Arctic

ENERGY BILL UPDATE HOW THE SENATE VOTED on the Arctic drilling amendment.
(Posted Aug 2002) Technically, the vote was to end a filibuster on Sen. Murkowski's amendment (SA 3132) to the Energy bill (S 517). In the Senate, 60 votes are needed to end a filibuster ("invoke cloture"). Drilling proponents were only able to muster 46 votes, not even a majority of the Senate.

**SENATORS VOTING TO PROTECT THE ARCTIC (54)**
--Democrats (45)-- Baucus (D-MT); Bayh (D-IN); Biden (D-DE); Bingaman (D-NM); Boxer (D-CA); Byrd (D-WV); Cantwell (D-WA); Carnahan (D-MO); Carper (D-DE); Cleland (D-GA); Clinton (D-NY); Conrad (D-ND); Corzine (D-NJ); Daschle (D-SD); Dayton (D-MN); Dodd (D-CT); Dorgan (D-ND); Durbin (D- IL); Edwards (D-NC); Feingold (D-WI); Feinstein (D-CA); Graham (D- FL); Harkin (D-IA); Hollings (D-SC); Johnson (D-SD); Kennedy (D-MA); Kerry (D-MA); Kohl (D-WI); Leahy (D-VT); Levin (D-MI); Lieberman (D- CT); Lincoln (D-AR); Mikulski (D-MD); Murray (D-WA); Nelson (D-FL); Nelson (D-NE); Reed (D-RI); Reid (D-NV); Rockefeller (D-WV); Sarbanes (D-MD); Schumer (D-NY); Stabenow (D-MI); Torricelli (D-NJ); Wellstone (D-MN); Wyden (D-OR)

--Republicans (8)--
Chafee (R-RI); Collins (R-ME); DeWine (R-OH)(Thanks from Tecumseh!!); Fitzgerald (R-IL); McCain (R-AZ); Smith (R-NH); Smith (R-OR); Snowe (R-ME)

--Independent--
Jeffords (I-VT)

**SENATORS VOTING TO ALLOW OIL DRILLING IN THE ARCTIC REFUGE (46)**
--Democrats (5)--
Akaka (D-HI); Breaux (D-LA); Inouye (D-HI); Landrieu (D-LA); Miller (D-GA)

--Republicans (41)--
Allard (R-CO); Allen (R-VA); Bennett (R-UT); Bond (R-MO); Brownback (R-KS); Bunning (R-KY); Burns (R-MT); Campbell (R-CO); Cochran (R- MS); Craig (R-ID); Crapo (R-ID); Domenici (R-NM); Ensign (R-NV); Enzi (R-WY); Frist (R-TN); Gramm (R-TX); Grassley (R-IA); Gregg (R-NH); Hagel (R-NE); Hatch (R-UT); Helms (R-NC); Hutchinson (R-AR); Hutchison (R-TX); Inhofe (R-OK); Kyl (R-AZ); Lott (R-MS); Lugar (R- IN); McConnell (R-KY); Murkowski (R-AK); Nickles (R-OK); Roberts (R- KS); Santorum (R-PA); Sessions (R-AL); Shelby (R-AL); Specter (R-PA); Stevens (R-AK); Thomas (R-WY); Thompson (R-TN); Thurmond (R-SC); Voinovich (R-OH); Warner (R-VA)

This vote is further evidence (if you still weren't convinced) of how each party stands on environmental protection and toward big business.

LEADING UP TO THE VOTE:

(7 Mar 02, The Wilderness Society) Senate Begins Debate:
The Senate debate began on Tuesday, March 5th and is expected to last only two or three weeks, since Sen. Majority leader Daschle is determined not to let this debate drag on. You can see daily updates about the arctic debate at: www.wilderness.org/arctic/index.htm

SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT
Pro-drilling Senators are making statements on the floor which are egregious, misleading, and just plain wrong. You can read about them, AND get the facts at: www.wilderness.org/arctic/debate.htm

We've put together a whole resource section on energy for online activists, at: www.wilderness.org/eyewash/energy/resources.htm

NEW REPORT: BIG OIL'S ENERGY PLAN 2002 www.wilderness.org/energy

The Wilderness Society today released a new report detailing how the industry-laden Bush Administration has been quietly and aggressively acting on behalf of the oil, gas, and coal industries to open up millions of acres of special places to Big Oil.

In 2001, the Bush Administration issued more than 3800 oil and gas permits, the most ever in one year. With very little public debate or scrutiny, the White House has allowed oil and gas companies to begin operations in some of the most fragile, most remarkable places in the country - places that have up until this time been considered too special to drill.

Even as the White House opens up millions of acres of public lands to oil and gas drilling, it also seeks legislation to further weaken environmental safeguards that protect our public lands from irresponsible and unnecessary damage. The Republican leadership in the House passed a bill (HR 4) that would make it more difficult for land managers to protect sensitive wild lands from oil and gas drilling, while at the same time shelling out $34 billion in subsidies to these corporations.

Read the report: www.wilderness.org/energy

WHAT YOU CAN DO:
The best way is to make a brief phone call to your Senators. Tell the person who answers the phone that you're calling about the Energy bill and that you:

-- OPPOSE drilling in the Arctic Refuge
-- OPPOSE new energy development on western wildlands
-- OPPOSE the weakening of current protections for the wilderness and wildlife values on our national lands
-- SUPPORT higher vehicle fuel efficiency standards (CAFE)
-- SUPPORT investment in and incentives for renewables and conservation programs

Ohio's Senators are Mike DeWine and George Voinovich, call the Senate switchboard and ask for their offices: 202-224-3121.

Or, you can use our legislative directory tws.ctsg.com/wac/legDirectory to look up a direct number for your Senators.

SPREAD THE WORD
If you can do one thing more, forward this message to your friends and family.

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