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Alaskan Congressman Don Young issued the following statement today in response to House Republican Leader Boehner’s announcement that ten House Republicans will be embarking on an "Energy Tour" including a stop at ANWR:

"This is a great opportunity for some of my colleagues to see the coastal desert of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge," said Rep. Young. "There is such an abundance of our God-given natural resources there that can be tapped with minimal environmental impact. Too many people have allowed themselves to be duped by the extreme environmentalists who use misleading pictures of other parts of the state to deceive the American people. It’s a shame that we’ve allowed this minute section of ANWR to become a poster child for environmental fundraising, and not it’s original designation as an energy source for our country. We are dealing with a tundra, not a ‘pristine wilderness’ - a tundra that contains an estimated 10.4 billion barrels of oil, that could supply us for the next 30 years. There has been a lot of talk about reducing energy prices, but not nearly enough action. This trip is action; action by the House Republicans to become more educated on the issues and learn how they can swiftly bring aid to Mr. and Mrs. America and help ease their pain at the pump. I commend Rep. Boehner for his leadership on this issue. I am encouraged by this trip up to our great state of Alaska, and wish my colleagues well as they learn first-hand about Alaska’s role in solving our current energy crisis."