Haley Stevens: “It shows Alaska's oil has decreased. Here are the figures. At one time we went up to 1.885 million. We actually have an…”

“It shows Alaska's oil has decreased. Here are the figures. At one time we went up to 1.885 million. We actually have an ultimate capacity of 2.1 million. There were some surges where we transported more than 2 million barrels a day. Its design capacity is more than 2 million barrels a day. Now, throughput is 935,000. I was informed recently that the amount going through at this time, the average production, is down to 381,000. We have a pipeline designed to carry 2 million barrels of oil and it is running at a little over 30 percent throughput. Where is the oil to come from? ANWR. It should have come from ANWR. If President Clinton had not vetoed our bill in 1995, it would be coming through now. I urge my colleagues to think about what ANWR means and why we are here. We are here because every time we have been here, we have been frustrated by filibuster. Is it unethical to try to find a way around a filibuster, to try and find a way so we can fulfill our constitutional right--that is, to have an issue decided by a majority vote? All I am asking is to have an issue decided by majority vote. Cloture is a creature of the Senate. The concept of unlimited debate is a creature of the Senate. I abide by it. I believe in it. However, we also have the process to curb that; that is, to have cloture on a bill. Now it is cloture on a Defense bill. I don't ever recall having to get cloture on a Defense appropriations bill.…”