Political Quotes

“Referring to my good friend again, the junior Senator from Massachusetts, who says the supply is insignificant, if the supply is insignificant, what has Prudhoe Bay done to this country? This is Prudhoe Bay. It was developed 27 years ago. It has supplied the Nation with 20 percent of the total crude oil. If we had not developed Prudhoe Bay, we would not have the oil. We would be importing more from Iraq, more from Saudi Arabia. Maybe we would be importing from Libya and Iran, very possibly. So do not say it does not contribute something, because it does. The area of Kaktovik is said to contain 5.7 to 16 billion barrels. Prudhoe Bay was only supposed to contain 10 billion barrels. It is now at 13 billion barrels. I am continually frustrated by people who speak on this who have never been to ANWR's Coastal Plain. They refuse to go. They do not want to take the time to talk to the people in Kaktovik about their hopes and aspirations or see the kids in Kaktovik who want a better life going to school. They will not do that. So I have to come to this Chamber and explain why I have expertise to talk about something because of my background, because it is in my State, because of the fact I have been there. And yet, my critics do not have to justify their generalities. This is a picture of some kids of Kaktovik going to school, three happy Eskimo kids in a village of fewer than 400. They cannot drill for gas on their own land. Now think of that.…”