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Ted Stevens sharpens strategy for opening ANWR Avoidance of filibuster is name of game; Stevens recalls tough strategy that won statehood battle Steve Sutherlin PNA Managing Editor
U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens says opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil exploration in 2003 will be tough, but possible.
“That’s our job this year — to see if we can get that done,” Stevens told the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce Dec. 16.
Supporters of oil exploration plan to include an ANWR provision in the budget reconciliation act in order to avert the threat of filibuster by drilling opponents. The plan is a good one, but it isn’t foolproof, Stevens said.
A budget resolution that starts in the House and a budget act that starts in the Senate must be worked out together so by the time they come up in the Senate, there is no possibility of a filibuster, Stevens said.
Stevens said there were a number of things the opposition could do to bring about a filibuster.
“Very clearly the battle ground is the budget resolution and what we call the reconciliation act — that act is not subject to filibuster, per se, but there are things you can do as you go along the line where it could be filibustered and delayed,” Stevens said.
Deft maneuvers required Stevens compared the ANWR fight to the fight for Alaska statehood.
“It’s as tough a strategy as we worked out when we got statehood,” Stevens said. “When we got statehood, we went around the rules of the house; we went right to the floor; we had a bill considered and voted on without going though the rules committee. When we went to the Senate, we had to get the Senate to vote on that bill without amendment,” he said.
Alaska statehood had vociferous opponents, just as ANWR drilling does.
“People like Strom Thurmond held us up for days upon days with amendments, delaying us, but we finally got people to vote them down,” Stevens said.
In effect, senators were challenged to not filibuster the bill, he said.
“That’s the kind of procedure it took us three years to work out, and we’ve got three months on this one.”
Transportation investment needed One area the Alaska delegation is confident in delivering this year, Stevens said, is funding transportation projects within the state.
“Our focus is to modernize our state with regard to transportation,’’ he said.
Stevens is chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Rep. Don Young leads the House Transportation Committee.
The delegation is seeking a bridge to cross Knik Arm, from Anchorage to Point MacKenzie, and a crossing over Turnagain Arm.
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