US Senate passes defense spending bill after dropping ANWR clause

Washington (Platts)--22Dec2005

In a vote that was almost anti-climatic, the US Senate late Wednesday
removed a provision from the Defense Department appropriations bill that would
have authorized oil drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
     The resolution dropping the ANWR provision, which passed 48-45, was
inevitable after the Senate earlier in the day rejected a motion limiting
debate on the bill. An unlimited debate, or filibuster, by opponents of the
ANWR provision threatened to kill or delay the appropriations bill which
provides funds for military operations and salaries. 
     Following the vote on the ANWR language, the Senate approved the $403-bil
military appropriation, 93-0. The bill also includes $29-bil for restoration
and hurricane protection measures on the US Gulf Coast and $4-bil for avian
flu preparedness.

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