WASHINGTON - Short of votes and running out of time, House GOP leaders may drop a hotly contested plan to open an Alaskan wilderness area to oil drilling as they try to secure passage of a sweeping budget bill Thursday.
Such a move would be a big setback for President Bush and other advocates of permitting oil exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which has repeatedly passed the House with bipartisan support when considered as part of broader energy legislation. It's always been dropped in the face of promised filibusters by Senate Democrats.
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"They're going to take ANWR out," added Rep. Tim Johnson, R-Ill.
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Rep. Pete King, R-N.Y., summarized the pitch made by Republican leaders: "It's critical. It's a defining vote. And it'll keep us in the majority."
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They're going to take it out - ha ha ha ha! But it won't be over...more:
http://enews.earthlink.net/article/gen?guid=20051109/43718250_3ca6_15526200511091545299347