In the spring of 2001 The Vietnam Veterans Institute organized a large coalition of Veterans Services Organizations (VS0s) support legislation to Drill in the barren area of the The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, with the caveat of sound ecological practices. The Veterans Service organization considered it,still do, a issue of National Defense.

Had drilling been approved in ANWR the wells would be pumping now. More Alaskans would be employed. And the economic abyss we have falling into nationallly might have been avoided.

The biggest surprise wasn't the opposition. But the and threats  vitroil from the opposition.  Only more disappointing was that the national media refused to report on the behavior of the opposition. Of whitch only a half dozen or so identified themselfs as Alaskans. Thouse that did identify themselfs as Alaskans were overwhelmingly in favor exploration and drilling.

A reprint from the Congressional Record follows.

NATIONAL ENERGY POLICY -- (Senate - October 30, 2001)

[Page: S11161] GPO's PDF --- Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, I come to the floor this morning to ask unanimous consent to have printed in the RECORD letters from J. Eldon Yates, chairman and founder of the Vietnam Veterans Institute; the American Legion national commander, Richard Santos; the Veterans of Foreign Wars executive director, Robert Wallace; and Joseph Lipowski, the national commander of AMVETS. They joined me, several of my colleagues, and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Anthony Principi, just a few moments ago outside our Capitol to call on this Senate and our leader, Tom Daschle, to bring a national energy policy bill before this Senate before we adjourn this year. Clearly, the President has been outspoken in the last month--and I agree with what he is doing--about strengthening our resolve and protecting our freedoms as the country cries out for a national energy policy that is a policy of national security. Today the administration announced that we are going to start buying oil to put into our national Strategic Petroleum Reserve to beef up the total volume in that reserve in case of a national crisis. But even when that is done, if the oil of the Middle East were cut off, that reserve would last only for a few weeks before we would be in a significant energy crisis. Our President as well as the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Energy, the Vice President, labor unions, chambers of commerce, National Association of Manufacturers, and small business groups speaks out. America is being told today that national energy is a national security issue. Strangely enough, the chairman of the Energy Committee even spoke this last weekend saying he wanted a national energy policy addressed before the end of the year. Yet nothing is done. The Energy Committee has been shut down by orders of the majority leader. Republicans are producing an energy bill. We have been to the floor time and time again asking for a time certain on which to debate this critical issue. The House acted in August. Our world would come tumbling down around us at this moment, economically speaking, if the oil of the Middle East were shut off from this country. Our economy would stifle. It is an issue of national security. I ask unanimous consent that these letters be printed in the RECORD. There being no objection, the letters were ordered to be printed in the RECORD, as follows: AMVETS, Lanham, MD, October 26, 2001. Hon. TOM DASCHLE, Majority Leader, U.S. Senate, The Capitol, Washington, DC. DEAR SENATOR DASCHLE: On behalf of AMVETS, I am writing to encourage you to bring H.R. 4, the Securing America's Future Energy Act of 2001, before the full Senate for consideration at the earliest possible moment prior to the close of the 1st Session of the 107th Congress. As you know, our current reliance on foreign oil leaves the United States vulnerable to the whim of individual oil-exporting countries, many existing in the unpredictable and highly dangerous Persian Gulf. And it cannot be overstated that energy supplies touch nearly every aspect of our lives from our economy to our national security. Passage of H.R. 4 would greatly assist in our ability to secure a more dependable and diversified domestic supply of energy. And, I would note that since the Persian Gulf War our security has become more threatened with our dependence on foreign sources of oil growing from 35 percent of domestic supply to nearly 60 percent. [Page: S11162] GPO's PDF AMVETS firmly believes that we cannot wait for the next crisis before we act. H.R. 4, as approved by the House, is a critical part of an overall policy America requires to promote dependable, affordable, and environmentally sound production and distribution of energy for the future. We urge your expedited approval of this legislation. Dedicated to service. Joseph W. Lipowski, National Commander. -- VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS, OF THE UNITED STATES, Washington, DC, October 29, 2001. Hon. TOM DASCHLE, Majority Leader, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. DEAR SENATOR DASCHLE: The 2.7 million members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States and its Ladies Auxiliary supports H.R. 4, the ``Securing America's Future Energy Act of 2001 or SAFE Act of 2001. We applaud the House of Representatives for its bipartisan work in addressing our energy vulnerability by passing H.R. 4. We believe the Senate should consider and vote on H.R. 4 so that our nation has an energy plan for the future and can move forward quickly with a comprehensive plan to develop our domestic energy resources. Keeping in mind the horrific events of September 11 and mindful of the threats we are facing, we strongly believe that the development of America's domestic energy resources is a vital national security priority. We need to take steps to reverse our growing dependence on Middle East oil as quickly as possible. By passing H.R. 4, the Senate will be supporting our troops serving in combat on Operation Enduring Freedom, the American people, and our national security with a comprehensive energy legislation that is desperately needed to diversify the energy supply for our country and chart a course for the future. The VFW strongly urges the Senate to consider and vote on H.R. 4 as passed in the House in this session of Congress. Sincerely, Robert E. Wallace, Executive Director. -- THE AMERICAN LEGION, Washington, DC, October 25, 2001. Hon. TOM DASCHLE, Majority Leader, U.S. Senate, The Capitol, Washington, DC. DEAR SENATOR DASCHLE: We write today out of a sense of urgency concerning our national security, as it relates to our need for energy independence. The development of America's domestic energy resources is vital to our national security. We respectfully urge you to adopt the provisions contained in H.R. 4, the ``Securing America's Future Energy Act of 2001. War and international terrorism have again brought into sharp focus the heavy reliance of the United States on imported oil. During times of crises, such reliance threatens our national security and economic well being. The import of more than 50 percent of our petroleum from the Persian Gulf further compounds our foreign trade balance at a time when our energy demands continued unabated. It is important that we develop domestic sources of oil, contained within our public lands--such as the supplies within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Working for a comprehensive energy policy and achieving responsible energy independence are critical national security and economic goals. H.R. 4, as passed by the House of Representatives, is a major step forward to achieving these imperative goals. We strongly urge your support. Sincerely, Richard J. Santos, National Commander. -- Statement Of Our Nation's Veterans Groups, ``Our Domestic Energy Security is Our National Security, October 30, 2001 We, the undersigned, representing our nation's veterans, strongly believe that the development of America's domestic energy resources is a vital national security priority. The horrific events of September 11, 2001, constitute a threat to our people, our economy, and our nation's security. With U.S. troops actively engaged in combat overseas, we firmly believe that America can and will win this prolonged war against terrorism, using all its resources to defend our nation and the cause of freedom around the world. Because of these beliefs, we applaud the House of Representatives for its bipartisan work in addressing our energy vulnerability by passing H.R. 4, the ``Securing America's Future Energy Act of 2001 or the ``SAFE Act of 2001. It is imperative that the Senate pass the House version of H.R. 4 so that our nation can move forward in establishing our energy security, as well as our defense of freedom at home and abroad. It is essential for us to develop all domestic energy resources including the supplies within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. By passing H.R. 4, the comprehensive energy legislation, the Senate will be supporting our troops in the field, all Americans, their families, and our nation. We, as Veterans, stand united and respectfully request that the Senate vote on and pass H.R. 4. J. Eldon Yates, Chairman and Founder, Vietnam Veterans Institute. Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, America's veterans, those who have stood in harm's way year after year and decade after decade in defense and support of our freedom, now speak out and say: Senator Daschle, this is an issue of national security. Where are you? Why aren't you allowing the Senate to debate this issue now and have on the President's desk a national energy policy before we recess this first session of the 107th Congress? I yield the floor. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Wyoming is recognized.