Cantwell Statement on House Vote to Drill in Arctic Wildlife Refuge
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) issued the following statement Thursday on the House’s passage of a bill to allow drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge:
“Once again the Republican Congress is falling back on policies that we know will do nothing to improve America’s long term energy independence or end our nation’s addiction to oil. We need to reach outside the status quo and provide a cleaner, more reliable, more affordable energy system for American families, businesses, and farmers. Debating drilling in the Arctic Refuge yet again is nothing more than a distraction from the conversations we ought to be having about redirecting existing oil and gas subsidies to support investments and research into alternative fuels, providing American consumers with more fuel-efficient vehicle choices, and leveraging the federal government’s buying power as the largest energy user in the country toward more efficient and cheaper power sources, among other new ideas. But the Republican Congressional leadership seems genuinely stumped on what new energy policies are needed; all you see them offering is to once again drill in a pristine wilderness for the sake of lowering gas prices 20 years from now by one penny. Democrats have a broad consensus plan that can pass Congress if the Republicans will stop wasting time with these short-sighted measures.”
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