Russ Feingold: “I have joined with the Senior Senator from Connecticut, Mr. Lieberman, as a co-sponsor of legislation he has introduced…”

“I have joined with the Senior Senator from Connecticut, Mr. Lieberman, as a co-sponsor of legislation he has introduced today to designate the coastal plain of the Arctic Refuge as a wilderness area. I have been a co-sponsor of this bill since I became a member of this body. I am concerned that Congress will be forced to consider whether or not to drill on the coastal plain of the Refuge before we take substantive action about whether or not the area should be designated as wilderness. Establishment of drilling on the coastal plain would be allowing a use on the coastal plain that is generally considered to be incompatible with areas designated as wilderness under the Wilderness Act. I want my colleagues to be aware that this is the situation, and that we are not going to increase the supply of oil in the near term, or reduce today's high gasoline or other high energy prices by drilling in the Refuge. I fear that drilling in the Refuge is being promoted not to help us address our current energy situation. As a member of Budget Committee I fear that this idea is again being proposed so that we can reaping the revenue from the leasing of the coastal plain so that we can entertain large tax cuts. Second, I oppose drilling in the Refuge because it does not advance our domestic energy security. I cannot believe that the American people want energy security at the expense of the protection of a substantial asset such as the Arctic Refuge's coastal plain.”