Washington, D.C. (January 26, 2015) - Yesterday, President Obama announced that he would unilaterally seize more than 12 million acres in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) as wilderness. Western Caucus Chairman Cynthia Lummis (WY-At Large) along with Western Caucus Member Don Young (AK-At Large) released the following statements in response to the announcement:

"By shutting the door on any energy production in the coastal plain of ANWR, President Obama has once again used the stroke of a pen to unilaterally disregard U.S. energy security and the needs of local economies," said Chairman Lummis. "We all care about the environment, and thanks to American ingenuity we can produce oil on the coastal plain in an environmentally responsible manner, just as Congress always intended. But our President would rather cater to special interests than pursue a truly balanced approach that supports our nation's energy security and economic opportunity for the people of Alaska. This is no way to treat a sovereign state and is indicative of how our President treats the west in general, mismanaging our public lands to the detriment of our nation and the people who actually live there."

"This callously planned and politically motivated attack on Alaska by the Obama administration is akin to spitting in our faces and telling us it's raining outside. As if on command from the most extreme environmentalist elements, this president and his team of D.C. bureaucrats believe they alone know what's best for Alaska, but this brazen assault on our state and our people will do the complete opposite," Rep. Young said. "Every time the president undermines the law of the land, he breaks his oath of office and weakens the nation we love. This latest move, in clear violation of ANILCA's 'no more' clause, and despite the fierce opposition of every Alaska statewide elected official and the vast majority of our people, demonstrates that the Imperial Presidency of Barack Obama knows no bounds. Simply put, this wholesale land grab, this widespread attack on our people and our way of life, is disgusting."

U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan along with Representative Don Young will hold a press conference at 2 p.m. ET to address this announcement.