Friends of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge,
 
I am forwarding a quick update on where we are in protecting the Arctic
National Wildlife Refuge from oil drilling. The Senate voted last week
and we lost that vote 47 - 53, here is a list of the upper midwest
Senator's and how they voted. Please consider calling to thank or show
disappointment on this vote. Capitol switchboard - 202-224-3121.
 
StatePtyLastCantwellWydenCantwell 50%Final Passage
MNRColemanYYYN
MNDDaytonYYYN
NDDConradYYYN
NDDDorganYYYN
SDDJohnsonYYYN
SDRThunenYny
IARGrassleynYny
IADHarkinYYYN

 
We now move to the House, and we are expecting votes as early as this
Thursday Nov 10. Take action now! to stop the Budget Reconciliation Bill
which includes a provision to drill in the Refuge. For more information
see below.
thank you,
Lois Norrgard
Regional Organizer
Alaska Coalition
10368 Columbus Circle
Bloomington MN 55420
ph/fx: 952.881-7282
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From Erik Dumont - Alaska Wilderness League

Dear Arctic Activist,
While it might seem from the newspaper headlines that this past week has
had nothing but bad news for America’s Arctic National Wildlife, the
battle is far from over and we only need to win one of the next rounds in
order to save our Refuge.  
It is true that the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is closer than ever
before to having the ugly specter of industrial development thrust upon
its fragile environment.  We here at the Alaska Wilderness League,
however, are cautiously optimistic about our chances in the upcoming
weeks.  The defeat on the Senate floor this week was not unexpected. 
(The Senate passed by a 47-52 vote a budget reconciliation bill that
included provisions to drill in the Arctic Refuge).  We’ve known since
the spring when the Senate first acted to ram this controversial measure
through the budget resolution that it would be very difficult to win
another Senate vote this year.  Oddly enough, it appears that our best
chances are with the House of Representatives.  
Attention now focuses on the House, where, due to some unusual dynamics,
our chances of success are strong.  In the spring the House passed the
budget resolution by a mere three votes.  Several months later, thanks to
an extremely strong effort from thousands of activists all over the
country, 24 Republican Representatives sent a letter to their leadership
stating that the budget reconciliation bill would be very difficult to
support if Arctic drilling is included.  Without the support of these
moderate Republicans, the chances of the budget passing are significantly
lowered! 
Despite the stated opposition of two dozen Republicans, the House has
continued through the budget process with the Arctic drilling provision
still included in its legislation.  In recent days we have seen very
strong statements from a number of House swing votes that suggest that
the tide is turning our way.  These encouraging statements, however,
should not let us relax for even one minute.  In these final days before
a final vote, our friends on the Republican side will be under intense
pressure from their leadership to buckle, to cave, and ultimately to vote
for this budget despite the drilling provisions.  
WE CAN’T LET THAT HAPPEN!!  
We have to be more intense, and put more pressure on our Representatives
than ever before.  Even if you have already made a call to your member’s
office, call them again!  This is the time to do things out of your
comfort zone in order to win.  If you’ve never asked your friends or
family to call, now is the time to do so.  If you’ve never set up a table
at the local mall or farmer’s market and asked strangers to make calls,
this is the time.  If you’ve never dropped by the district office of your
Representative, now is the time to do so!  
Even if your Representative is a lost cause, or better yet, even if your
member is such a strong supporter that he or she would never cave, we
still need to our elected officials what this issue means to us. So call
them, stop by their office, send them an email, and ask your friends and
family to do the same.  Now is the time to act – even if you’ve never
done it before!  
Over the next several days, people all across the country will be doing
one or more of the following actions – we hope that you will join!
Office Drop-bys>>>  This is probably the most important thing we’re
asking people to do.  Over the next several days, take some time – any
time – out of your schedule and drop in on the local office of your
Representative.  You don’t need an appointment to do this.  Drop in for
just a few minutes, give them a letter or even just a short note, and
tell them why you’re there.  We want to know if you do this!  Please send
us a quick email after a visit and let us know that you did, so we can
keep track of how many offices have been visited.  
Phone calls, phone calls, phone calls! >>>  Call your Representative’s
office and tell them to vote against the budget reconciliation bill to
protect America’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.  Then call your
relatives and ask them to do the same thing.  Then call your co-workers,
your church members, your PTA members, your golf buddies and neighbors, -
in short anyone you can think of.  Over the next week, these calls will
be the difference between drilling and not drilling.  To call Senate and
House offices, please dial 1-888-8-WILD-AK.

Last, but certainly not least, PASS THIS ALERT TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS YOU
CAN!!
We’re very close to the end, and we're very close to pulling off what
everyone said was impossible following the last election: keeping the
Arctic Refuge free from drilling for another year.
Thanks to all of you who have ever taken an action on behalf of the
Arctic Refuge.

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