I got this below in my e-mail. Rather than waste time making it into a formal diary, I’m pasting this and hoping we’ll all make those calls:
BUDGET CONFERENCE REPORT STILL THREATENS ARCTIC REFUGE
We have just received word that the Budget conference report
could begin moving quickly, resulting in a full congressional
vote before week’s end. As we’ve reported in the past, the
Budget Conference report represents an enormous threat to the
Arctic Refuge, because it cannot be blocked with a filibuster by
those who believe the Arctic Refuge should be off-limits to
drilling.
Whether you’ve taken action once or even a dozen times before,
we urgently need you to call your Representative and Senators
today urging them to vote against any budget conference report
that includes reconciliation instructions that could lead to
Arctic Refuge oil drilling.
PLEASE CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE AND SENATORS TODAY.
1. First, call and urge your Representative,
Norman Dicks, to vote against
any budget conference report that includes reconciliation
instructions that could lead to Arctic Refuge oil drilling. Your
Representative’s direct phone number is:
(202) 225-5916
ALL REPS: http://www.congress.gov
2. Then, do the same thing for Senators. Call and urge them to
vote against any budget conference report that includes
reconciliation instructions that could lead to Arctic Refuge oil
drilling. Your Senators’ names and phone numbers are:
Sen. Patty Murray
Phone: (202) 224-2621
Sen. Maria Cantwell
Phone: (202) 224-3441
ALL SENATORS: http://www.senate.gov
Please note: Some Members of Congress have been strong
supporters of Arctic Refuge protection and are poised to do the
right thing on this vote. We encourage you to see how they have
voted on recent Arctic Refuge votes. Thank them if they voted
recently to oppose Arctic Refuge oil drilling. Click here for
the latest vote in the U.S. House of Representatives:
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2005/roll122.xml
Click here for the latest Senate vote:
WHEN YOU CALL
You’ll either be forwarded to a staff member or an answering
machine to leave your message. Be sure to state your name and
hometown, then your message.
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BACKGROUND
The budget conference report need not say the words “Arctic
National Wildlife Refuge” to result in Arctic Refuge drilling.
In fact, it is likely that the report will not mention the
Refuge by name but will instead contain “reconciliation
instructions” to the House Resources and Senate Energy
Committees, requiring them to cut their budgets by a specific
amount.
Although these open-ended instructions sound harmless, the
Committees would be allowed to fulfill the instructions by
changing laws to generate new revenue, instead of making actual
cuts. Reconciliation instructions would therefore give
pro-drilling chairmen of these committees, Sen. Pete Domenici
(R-NM) and Rep. Richard Pombo (R-CA), everything they need to
avoid a Senate filibuster over drilling the Arctic Refuge.
A vote for a budget resolution with these open-ended
instructions is a vote to drill America’s Arctic Refuge, whether
or not it mentions the Refuge by name. Unlike the energy bill,
the budget resolution cannot be filibustered.
Please call your Senators and Representatives today. Thank you.
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The Wilderness Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to
conserving American wilderness. Our mission is to ensure that
future generations will enjoy the clean air and water, wildlife,
beauty, and opportunity for recreation and renewal provided by
pristine forests, rivers, deserts, and mountains. As a
subscriber to WildAlert, you join over 250,000 Wilderness
Society members and supporters in our efforts to protect and
restore America’s wild places.
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the The Wilderness Society Center.
