Senate kills bill allowing
Alaska drilling

Hawaii's 2 senators vote in favor
of the defeated amendment

---

Associated Press

WASHINGTON >> The Senate today rejected by a wide margin oil development in an Arctic wildlife refuge that has been a centerpiece of the Bush administration's energy agenda.

Senate Republicans fell 14 votes short, 54-46, of the 60 needed to break a Democratic filibuster and allow a vote on an amendment to open the wildlife refuge to oil companies.

Hawaii Sens. Daniel Inouye and Daniel Akaka, both Democrats, voted in favor of the proposal.

The amendment's sponsors were expected to withdraw it, clearing the way for approval of an energy bill by the Senate.

The size of the Republican defeat, with pro-drilling forces falling short of even a majority, signaled that oil development of the Alaska refuge may be dead in Congress for this year.

White House press secretary Ari Fleischer said Bush would continue to fight for opening the refuge. But he sidestepped a question on whether Bush would sign an energy bill that does not include refuge drilling.

The Senate "missed an opportunity to lead America to greater energy independence," Fleischer said.

Eight Republicans joined most Democrats in opposing the drilling. Five Democrats supported the amendment, offered by Alaska's senators.

While the House last summer approved drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, that bill will have to be reconciled with legislation expected to be passed by the Senate. Drilling supporters have worried that a poor showing in the Senate might jeopardize getting a drilling measure out of the House-Senate negotiations.

Drilling supporters argued the refuge's oil was essential for America's energy security.

But Democrats said no oil would flow for a decade and would have little impact on oil imports or fuel prices.