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Republicans help save Garcetti nomination for India ambassador

Willow Project, a ceasefire for Alaska from the Biden Administration

Wednesday, March 8, 2023, Senator Sullivan of Alaska gave a speech on the Senate floor in defense of the Willow Project and called on President Biden to approve it. Five days later, the Biden administration approved the Willow Project. Senator Murkowski of Alaska thanked the President on the Senate floor.

It's still worth noting the level of frustration, not of conservatives vs. environmentalists, but of Alaska vs. “the lower 48.” Six moments and the conclusion were especially noteworthy in Sen. Sullivan's speech:

Local support is unanimous

“As I mentioned, we had a meeting with the President last week, and, at the beginning of the meeting, in addition to handing the President a unanimous resolution from the entire Alaska Legislature—the entire State senate, the entire State house; Democrats, Republicans, Independents; Native, non-Native—all passed a resolution saying to the Biden administration: Please support the Willow Project.”

Alaska under siege

In an Oval Office meeting with President Biden, “I said, respectfully: Mr. President, in every region of the State, every industry—oil, gas, mining, hunting, fishing; you name it—there have been 45 Executive orders and Executive actions—it is now 46; there has been another one since the meeting we had last week—looking to shut down Alaska. It is exhausting, to be honest. No other State is getting that kind of attention. I walked through some of these, but I just, again, respectfully, wanted the President to know, and that is it. Every time we meet with senior White House officials and say—these are the days we have met with senior White House officials—“Hey, how about a ceasefire?” we just get more, more. There is no other State in the country getting this kind of attention. It is unwanted attention.”