URGENT - Arctic Drilling bill to be voted on 24-48 hours!

[montana500]

Your calls needed ASAP:



Your Help Needed Again to Protect the Arctic Refuge



Time and again you have answered our calls to action on behalf of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Your calls and faxes have captured the attention of many in Congress. Words can't possibly express how grateful we at The Wilderness Society are to you.



Please don't let up now. The need to keep the pressure on the Senate this week is critically important.



The Senate is expected to vote on the Budget Resolution this Wednesday, March 16. We need you to keep up the pressure on your Senators, urging them to vote for the Cantwell amendment, which would strip out Arctic Refuge drilling from the Budget Resolution.



Calls are best, but we are urging folks to call, and then use our action page to send a written message.



Call NOW


You should be able to reach the Capitol switchboard by calling this toll-free number: 1-800-247-2971. If you have problems with the toll-free number, you can call your Senators directly at:

Illinois

Senator Dick Durbin
[phone]



Senator Barack Obama
[phone]




Your message: Please vote for the Cantwell amendment to strip Arctic Refuge drilling from the Senate Budget Resolution.




Photo above: Caribou on the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Courtesy of Ken Whitten. Photo below: Rainbow over the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, AK. Courtesy of US Fish & Wildlife Service.




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House Bill Free of Arctic Refuge Provision



This week, the House and Senate Budget Committees marked up the budget. The House budget resolution has no explicit Arctic provision in it. But drilling proponents may still try to exploit opportunities to slip Arctic drilling past the House through the budget process, if House Members are not actively vigilant.




Senate Bill Includes Arctic Refuge Drilling


In the Senate, Senate Budget Committee Chairman Judd Gregg (R-NH) decided to include the controversial drilling provision in the Senate version. Despite opposition from several Senators in his own party, Senator Gregg said he thought it was "reasonable" to assume that the drilling provision would remain in the budget. Our WildAlert members in New Hampshire are working hard to deliver a message to Sen. Gregg that this position is unacceptable.




During the budget committee meeting, Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) offered an amendment to strip the Arctic drilling provision out of the budget resolution. The amendment failed on a straight party-line vote, 10-12. As you can see, our efforts to protect the unequalled Arctic Refuge are far from over.



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Please Call Today, Then Ask Your Friends To Do So As Well


We need your calls and emails to the Senate on Tuesday and Wednesday!



Call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at 1-800-247-2971 (or 202-224-3121) or use the direct numbers above.



Your message:
Please vote for the Cantwell amendment to strip Arctic Refuge drilling from the Senate budget resolution.


If you want to say more:
Opening the Arctic Refuge to drilling through the budget process would be fiscally irresponsible, since no one knows the amount or value of oil that is there. Moreover, it would ruin a wilderness and wildlife habitat that is unequalled any where on earth. This is one place where drilling must not take place.





Thank you again for all you have done to protect this exquisite wildlife refuge from being destroyed.

[KoKo]

1. Done....thanks.