As a Republican voter and member of Republicans for Environmental Protection, I want to congratulate Reps. Wayne T. Gilchrest and Roscoe G. Bartlett for the critical role they played in forcing House leaders to drop a bad proposal to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling ("Bid to drill in Alaska refuge dropped," Nov. 10).

I know that they did not undertake to oppose the administration and the House leadership lightly.

This victory demonstrates that our party's conservation-minded lawmakers can make a real difference when they stand together and fight back against irresponsible legislation. And I'm counting on them to stay firm if the drilling proposal resurfaces later this fall.

The congressmen and their GOP colleagues showed real courage in standing up for their convictions, the party's conservation tradition and the wishes of their constituents.

Now let's move forward with a sensible energy strategy that will yield far more economic, security and clean energy benefits than drilling holes in our precious natural heritage ever could.