We should not use special budget procedures to jam through legislation to drill in the Arctic Refuge. This topic is too important to the public to address it in such a back-door manner. We should be having a full, open discussion of the issue during an energy debate.

Chairman. Senators John Kerry of Massachusetts and Patrick Leahy of Vermont expressed support for the bill but Feingold was able to find only three co-sponsors.

Russell Dana "Russ" Feingold (/ˈfaɪn. state of Wisconsin. He was the only Senator to vote against the USA PATRIOT Act during the first vote on the legislation.