A message from the Indigenous Environmental Network

Native and non-Native Support Groups and Friends,

This message below is from the Alaska Coalition. The Coalition works with the Gwichin Steering Coalition and many support groups. Their message describes what happened today in the Senate, as well as reassuring us the fight isn’t over. This morning (11/3/05) the Senate defeated the Cantwell Amendment (Senator Maria Cantwell, D-WA) by 2 votes (48-51) that if passed, would have removed drilling in the refuge from the budget bill. The House will be considering a similar budget measure that also includes a provision for opening up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling. There appears to be some mounting opposition within the House on the refuge provisions. There are reports that House leaders are thinking about dumping the contentious refuge drilling section. Lets now start putting pressure on the House Representatives. After the House makes its decision on its version of a budget measure, the final decision on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge will be made when the Senate and House go into conference to hash out their two budgets. We will continue to keep you posted.

Tom Goldtooth, Indigenous Environmental Network ien@igc.org

Dear Supporter,

Just wanted to send a quick note to thank all of you for everything you have done for the last few months, weeks, days and hours leading up to the Senate vote. Unfortunately, the Senate Budget Reconciliation Vote passed with the Arctic drilling provisions included. While this news is disappointing, I want to reassure you that the budget fight is not over. While we did not defeat the drilling bill today in the Senate, tomorrow we will turn our attention toward the House where the real battle will be.

A significant number of Republicans have been outspoken in their opposition to Arctic Refuge drilling in the budget bill, casting serious doubt on whether a bill with Arctic drilling in it can pass the House at all. The farther along this reconciliation bill goes, the more baggage it picks up and the worse it looks. So please take your disappointment from today and turn it into positive energy for next week's battle that in the House. We aren't giving up and hope you won't either.

So once again thank you for your hard work and dedication to protecting the Arctic Refuge. I will be in touch in the next day or so to let you know what you can do to help us win in the House. I am confident that in the end we will prevail.

Best Regards,

Katie Little katie@alaskacoalition.org
Grassroots Campaigns Associate
Alaska Coalition