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Victory at Hand?

Fight Over ANWR More Than Symbolic for Stevens and Murkowski

April 20, 2005, 2:42 p.m.

Republican leaders in Congress appear close to finally being able to pass the far-reaching energy bill that has eluded them in recent sessions. And they are also on the verge of a major symbolic victory in the debate over the nation’s energy policy, opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to resources exploration after more than a quarter-century of struggle over the issue. The emotional battle over the future of ANWR has been particularly personal for Alaska’s Senators, who have framed the issue as not only vital to national security because it could lessen America’s dependence on foreign sources of oil, but also critical to their state’s economy.

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February 9, 2012

Rep. Michele Bachmann, who recently suspended her campaign for the presidency, speaks at the 2012 Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 9.

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The clear expectation is Congress will get very little done this election year. But what does get accomplished, at least in the high-profile areas, will largely be the handiwork of an elite group of staffers — who combine policy expertise, political acumen and the trust of their lawmaker bosses to drive much of the legislative agenda.