Kerry, Cantwell Join to Fight Arctic Drilling

[kerrygoddess]

I reported earlier that Senator Cantwell would be sponsoring an amendment in opposition to the GOP’s insertion of an amendment to drill in the Arctic Refuge into the budget.

The fight is on to save the Arctic Refuge. John Kerry’s Senate website just released a press release regarding a press conference tomorrow with Senator Cantwell to announce the Cantwell-Kerry amendment:

Washington, D.C. - Senators John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) will be joined by colleagues and supporters as they announce their plans to introduce a budget amendment in opposition to efforts to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge at a Capitol Hill press conference tomorrow - Tuesday, March 15.

The Cantwell-Kerry amendment rids the budget of language that opens ANWR to drilling. Kerry and Cantwell are leading the charge to protect this valuable natural refuge, and supporters and colleagues will share their views on this important fight.

http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/default.asp?view=plink&id=544

[elshiva]

1. Thanks this is great!

[rox63]

2. I wonder if any Repugs will vote to protect ANWR?

I think Chafee is big on protecting the environment. He was the decisive vote that killed *'s "Clear Skies" bill in comittee. Are there any other Repugs who might be willing to cross party lines to protect ANWR? We need to pull a few over to our side to win on anything these days.

[whometense]

3. McCain maybe?

He's been pretty pre-environment in the past.

[TayTay]

4. Kerry heavily on the Seante floor on Wednesday

From ABC News The Note: (3/15/05)

The Los Angeles Times' Richard Simon previews the vote on ANWR drilling, casting some Republicans as very optimistic — particularly given that it's attached to a budget bill that needs just a simple majority to pass. LINK: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-arctic15mar15,1,7321920.story?coll=la-headlines-nation&ctrack=2&cset=true

Watch for Sen. Kerry to take a lead role in the floor debate tomorrow.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/TheNote/story?id=156238

[foreverdem]

5. I thought this was dropped

Didn't the shrub talk about doing this a year or so ago? I seem to remember hearing about it in the news and then it was dropped. I'm glad John didn't let this one slip by without a fight.

[TayTay]

6. It was dropped

but the Rethugs are feeling their oats since picking up 4 Senate seats last fall and have weaseled it into the Budget bill. This is important as the Budget bill, by Senate Rules, cannot be filibustered. Kerry is floor-managing, apparently, the fight in the Senate tomorrow. This is one of his signature issues.

[foreverdem]

7. Thanks TayTay!

I thought I had heard about it before. Kerry has always been a friend to the environment and environmentalists, I don't doubt how important this is to him.