Haley Stevens: “apparently, there are people who believe that we are cynical in raising the question of the rights of the steelworkers…”

“apparently, there are people who believe that we are cynical in raising the question of the rights of the steelworkers and coal workers to their medical costs, and some attempt to find a cash stream that will help in making the transition for the steel industry as it is consolidated. I want the Senate to know that the motivation for thinking about steel and the steelworkers came from the provisions in the House bill H.R. 4, that contains ANWR, that allocated a portion of the bid moneys from the opening of ANWR to some conservation objectives. We looked at this problem and decided there were some moneys that could be used and what should be used as far as stimulating the future of our own State. The Alaska gas pipeline is the real focal point of our future development. ANWR is an addition--that is, the drilling in the 1002 area on the Arctic coast, that million and a half acres there--and is the immediate objective. But the long-term objective is to find a way to transport the natural gas that has been reinjected into the ground since 1968. As oil was produced in the Arctic, the natural gas was separated and it was reinjected into the ground. We know there is in excess of 50 trillion cubic feet of gas there--maybe 75 trillion cubic feet of gas. But the point is, as one who is interested in national security, I believe there are three major industries in this country of great concern to us in time of national problems of a military nature or security nature.”