Watch Senator Cantwell’s Full Remarks Here. 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), spoke on the Senate floor in opposition of the provision in the Republican tax bill to allow drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. 

On the Senator floor, Senator Cantwell said, “This bill basically pays for the tax cuts for corporations and millionaires by raising taxes on the middle class, undermining health care, and requiring drilling in our nation’s most iconic national wildlife refuge.”

“I believe opening up the Refuge to oil drilling is being done as a supposed revenue raiser to offset the soaring costs of this tax bill for corporations and the wealthy.  But the process this went through is a sham,” said Senator Cantwell.

“This bill is selling off oil in order to pay for oil drilling in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge. I do not believe that makes any sense. Under this sham process, this bill will turn one of our nation’s wildest and most pristine areas into an oil field.”

“We didn’t create the Arctic coastal plain, but I can tell you this— we cannot re-create it. What we’re doing today is taking a step towards destroying it,” said Senator Cantwell.

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