[mou] ANWR Drilling and Senator Coleman
Paul Budde
Paul.Budde@us.benfieldgroup.com
Wed, 12 Mar 2003 11:09:11 -0600
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>From www.CNN.com today - Bush needs only one more vote, and Coleman is under
intense pressure to be that one...
Paul
Paul Budde
Minneapolis
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WASHINGTON (AP) -- Senate Republicans say they have moved to within a single
vote of guaranteeing President Bush one of his top domestic priorities --
opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling.
The issue could be decided as early as next week.
An internal GOP memo that circulated Tuesday in the Senate expressed
confidence that 49 senators now plan to vote for drilling in the refuge,
starting a scramble in search of the remaining lawmaker who would be needed
to get the provision through as part of a budget measure.
"Dick Cheney has been working madly to secure the 50th (vote)," said the
staff memo developed in the offices of Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of
Tennessee and Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska.
The House is expected to have enough votes to pass the drilling provision,
but House leaders are reluctant to take up the issue -- and expose some
lawmakers to the politically sensitive vote -- unless the Senate takes the
lead, congressional sources said.
The matter could be decided by one of four senators -- two Republicans and
two Democrats -- who have been leaning toward the anti-drilling camp, but
who GOP leaders believe might be persuaded to shift sides, said sources from
both parties speaking on condition of anonymity.
The sources said Democratic Sens. Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor, both of
Arkansas, Sen. Gordon Smith, R-Oregon, and freshman Sen. Norm Coleman,
R-Minnesota, have been subjected to intense behind-the-scenes lobbying to
join the pro-drilling side.
A spokeswoman for Coleman -- who succeeded the late Paul Wellstone, a strong
critic of drilling in the refuge -- said she could not comment on the memo
or Coleman's views on the refuge. Spokesmen for the other three could not be
reached Tuesday evening.
Singling out Coleman, Lincoln and Pryor by name, the GOP memo said, "We need
to get calls in to those offices from constituents, and fast"
<snip>
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<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>From www.CNN.com today - Bush needs only one more =
vote, and Coleman is under intense pressure to be that one...</FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>Paul</FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>Paul Budde</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>Minneapolis</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>------------</FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>WASHINGTON (AP) -- Senate Republicans say they have =
moved to within a single vote of guaranteeing President Bush one of his =
top domestic priorities -- opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge =
to oil drilling. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>The issue could be decided as early as next week. =
</FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>An internal GOP memo that circulated Tuesday in the =
Senate expressed confidence that 49 senators now plan to vote for =
drilling in the refuge, starting a scramble in search of the remaining =
lawmaker who would be needed to get the provision through as part of a =
budget measure. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>"Dick Cheney has been working madly to secure =
the 50th (vote)," said the staff memo developed in the offices of =
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee and Sen. Ted Stevens, =
R-Alaska. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>The House is expected to have enough votes to pass =
the drilling provision, but House leaders are reluctant to take up the =
issue -- and expose some lawmakers to the politically sensitive vote -- =
unless the Senate takes the lead, congressional sources said. =
</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>The matter could be decided by one of four senators =
-- two Republicans and two Democrats -- who have been leaning toward =
the anti-drilling camp, but who GOP leaders believe might be persuaded =
to shift sides, said sources from both parties speaking on condition of =
anonymity. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>The sources said Democratic Sens. Blanche Lincoln and =
Mark Pryor, both of Arkansas, Sen. Gordon Smith, R-Oregon, and freshman =
Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minnesota, have been subjected to intense =
behind-the-scenes lobbying to join the pro-drilling side. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>A spokeswoman for Coleman -- who succeeded the late =
Paul Wellstone, a strong critic of drilling in the refuge -- said she =
could not comment on the memo or Coleman's views on the refuge. =
Spokesmen for the other three could not be reached Tuesday evening. =
</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>Singling out Coleman, Lincoln and Pryor by name, the =
GOP memo said, "We need to get calls in to those offices from =
constituents, and fast"</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2><snip></FONT>
</P>
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