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.