Sweet Arctic Victory!!!! Here's who we should THANK!!!!!

[Great Lakes Organizer Gal]

As you have likely heard, we won a HUGE battle for the Arctic! The
fight may not be over, but winning the cloture vote on the Defense
Appropriations bill in the Senate is a SIGNIFICANT turning point!
There were 56 yeas (wanting to block the filibuster) and 44 nays,
meaning they did not get the 60 necessary to end the filibuster!!!!

This is a very happy time for me, and hopefully, for all of you! What
a way to end 2005!!!

Please spend a few minutes this holiday season thanking the Senators
and Representatives who opposed drilling in the Arctic through this
dramatic turn-of-events! Whether you call their office or submit an
LTE to your local paper, help continue to positively reinforce these
actions that demonstrated concern for environmental preservation.

Here are the officials that deserve our thanks (see roll call for House
vote on Defense Appropriations bill at
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2005/roll669.xml):

ILLINOIS
Senator Durbin (D) - he was KEY in rallying support for the
filibuster in the Senate!!!
Senator Barack Obama (D)
Rep Kirk (R)
Rep Johnson (R)
Rep Rush (D)
Rep Jackson (D)
Rep David (D)
Rep Schakowsky (D)

INDIANA
Senator Bayh (D)
Senator Lugar (R) - voted to remove Arctic drilling from Appropriations
bill after cloture vote (but voted in favor of cloture)

MICHIGAN
Senator Stabenow (D)
Senator Levin (D)
Rep Ehlers (R)
Rep Stupek (D)
Rep Hoekstra (R)
Rep Kildee (D)
Rep Kilpatrick (D)
Rep Conyers(D)
Rep Dingell (D)

OHIO
Senator DeWine (R)
Rep Kucinich (D)
Rep Jones (D)

WISCONSIN
Senator Feingold (D)
Senator Kohl (D)
Rep Baldwin (D)
Rep Moore (D)
Rep Petri (R)
Rep Obey (D)

Please contact me if you want to participate in or help plan a
thank-you event for your elected official in early 2006!!!!! Happy
holidays, and happy new year!!!!

Peace,
Erika Schafer
Great Lakes Organizer
Alaska Coalition
er...@alaskacoalition.org