Information about the vote from special interest groups and other information providers in our Report Cards:
Sierra Club
Protection for our National Monuments.
The Senate voted to protect national monuments when it approved an amendment to the Interior Department and related agencies funding bill (H. R. 2217). Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL) offered an amendment to prohibit federal land management agencies from spending any money on activities related to oil and gas drilling and coal mining in our National Monuments. As part of its "drill, dig and destroy" approach to energy development, the Bush Administration has targeted our National Monuments for destructive oil and gas development and coal mining.
The Durbin amendment would essentially bar the Administration from opening up these protected areas to energy development activities for the next fiscal year, except where such activities are already allowed. This victory puts Congress on record in support of the 68% of Americans who oppose drilling in our National Monuments. A similar amendment passed the House of Representatives with strong, bipartisan support on June 21, 2001.
The Durbin amendment to the Department of Interior Appropriations bill (H. R. 2217), supported by the Sierra Club, passed the Senate by a voice vote after an attempt to table the amendment failed.
League of Conservation Voters
Public Lands & Public Resources - Monuments Drilling.
National monuments protect a diverse array of unique and fragile cultural, historic, archeological, biological and scenic areas. Although popular with the American public, national monuments—particularly the 22 new monuments designated by President Clinton—were the targets of early criticism by the Bush administration and its allies in the oil, gas and mining industries. In particular, administration officials indicated that they would consider opening up some monuments to oil and gas exploration and development. In a March 13 press conference, President Bush suggested that such development could take place in some units without harming the environment. In April the Associated Press reported that Interior Secretary Norton said in an interview that drilling in the new monuments was “under consideration.”
Environmentalists opposed these developments, arguing national monuments are treasures to be safeguarded for future generations. In addition, the increased tourism and recreation generated by national monuments depend on preserving these federal lands in perpetuity.
Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) offered an amendment to H.R. 2217, the Fiscal Year 2002 Interior Appropriations bill, that would prohibit Secretary Norton from issuing oil, gas coal, and geothermal leases on national monuments. When Senator Durbin offered his amendment, Senator Conrad Burns (R-MT) introduced a motion to table (or kill) the amendment. The Senate rejected the Burns motion. Senator Durbin's amendment was then accepted on a voice vote. The House passed a similar amendment sponsored by Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV) when it considered the Interior appropriations bill. The Interior appropriations conference report, which included the prohibition on drilling in national monuments, passed both the House and Senate in October and was signed by the President in November.
U.S. Public Interest Research Group
Environmental Preservation/Oppose Drilling in National Monuments.
Some of the nation''s most spectacular places have been granted special status as National Monuments under the Antiquities Act, which allows the president to provide protections to objects of important natural, historic, or scientific value. Treasured places like the Grand Canyon were protected as National Monuments when they were most vulnerable. Unfortunately, President Bush and Interior Secretary Gale Norton announced that they would consider the allowing oil and gas drilling and other reckless development on these fragile lands, threatening the integrity of these national treasures.
During House consideration of H.R. 2217, the Fiscal Year 2002 Interior Appropriations bill, Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV) introduced an amendment to prohibit Interior Secretary Norton from issuing any oil, gas, coal or geothermal leases in any national monument. The House approved the Rahall amendment.
League of Private Property Voters
Fiscal 2002 Interior Appropriations - Oil and Gas Exploration in National Monuments.
Burns, R-Mont., motion to
table (kill) the Durbin, D-Ill., amendment that
would prohibit the use of funds for the preleasing
or leasing of oil and gas, or other
exploration activities within lands designated
as national monuments, effective as of Jan. 20,
2001.
Motion rejected.Citizens Against Government Waste
H.R. 2217: Fiscal 2002 Interior Appropriations - Oil and Gas Exploration in National Monuments.
The Senate approved the amendment offered by Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) to prohibit oil and gas leasing in national monuments.Population Connection
2002 Interior Appropriations/Oil and Gas Exploration on Public Lands.
The Senate rejected a motion from Sen. Conrad Burns (R-MT) to table (kill) a Richard Durbin (D-IL) amendment. The Durbin amendment would ban oil, gas, and coal drilling on national monument lands. (Subsequently, the Durbin amendment was adopted by voice vote.)