The U.S. Senate late on Thursday approved in a close 51-49 vote a $2.8 trillion budget bill that calls for the government to raise $6 billion over 10 years in leasing fees from allowing oil companies to drill in ANWR. The revenue would be split between the federal government and the state of Alaska.Sneaky bastards. Why play by the rules when you can just change them?
The budget bill instructs the Senate's energy panel to draft legislation to open the refuge to drilling in order to raise the required $6 billion.
Sen. Pete Domenici, the Republican chairman of the energy committee, said he will send the ANWR-opening legislation to the Senate Budget Committee by mid-May.
Republican leaders, with White House support, used budget legislation to give oil companies access to the refuge, because budget bills can't be filibustered under Senate rules.
Charming
Senate panel to OK ANWR drilling bill by mid-May
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