(JUNEAU) - Today the Republican Legislative Majority praised the United States Senate for voting down an attempt to remove a provision in next year's federal budget allowing oil exploration and production in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).

"This is not just a victory for Alaska, it's a victory for all Americans because it reduces our country's addiction to foreign oil. Opening ANWR is really a homeland security issue," said Senate President Ben Stevens (R - Anchorage).

"It is encouraging to know that Alaska has spoken and Congress listened. I want to congratulate and thank Alaska's Congressional delegation for their hard work and dedication in accomplishing this huge first step in opening ANWR by defeating Senator Cantwell's (D - Washington) amendment. While we understand that this is the first of many steps in the process, we are encouraged by this triumph," said Speaker John Harris (R - Valdez). "The economic opportunities that this will bring to Alaska will have a tremendous impact on our state."

The coastal plain of ANWR could hold up to 10.4 billion barrels of recoverable oil. Extracting the oil in an environmentally appropriate manner creates jobs, provides revenue for Alaska and the federal government and puts up to one million barrels of oil each day into the Trans Alaska Oil Pipeline.

President George W. Bush has made opening a small portion of ANWR's coastal plain one of the top energy priorities of his administration. The President has vowed to sign ANWR legislation when it reaches his desk.

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