J. Exon: “It might be due to the fact that a clear majority of the American people do not support opening up the Arctic National…”

“It might be due to the fact that a clear majority of the American people do not support opening up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil and gas exploration. It appears to me that the Republicans are trying to find a clever way to cover up all the damage their budget will do to the environment. The American people, by a two to one margin, oppose opening up ANWR for oil and gas drilling. No wonder that proponents of drilling do not want to confront the issue head-on. Our citizens understand, even if some members of this body may not, that leasing the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge risks serious harm to one of our national treasures. It squanders the natural resources that we should be leaving for future generations. And it is another example of public lands policies that favor special interests over the interests of ordinary families. The irony is that we do not need to take these risks to ensure adequate supplies of energy.”