US House Votes to Drill for Oil at ANWR. Democrats Plan to Obstruct Plan in Senate

Again, the U.S. House of Representatives has voted to permit drilling for oil on a very small (2,000 acre) piece of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

From Reuters:

The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday approved a plan to allow oil drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

The House voted 225-201 to approve a plan sponsored by California Republican Richard Pombo that would allow drilling on 2,000 acres of ANWR out of the refuge's total 19 million acres.

It was the 12th vote on the divisive ANWR drilling issue since 1995 in the House. The ANWR drilling plan faces a nearly certain filibuster threat in the Senate, where pro-drilling Republicans hold a slimmer majority.

Tapping the 10 billion barrels of crude estimated to lay beneath the refuge is a key part of the Bush administration's national energy plan to reduce U.S. reliance on petroleum imports, which now comprise about 60 percent of U.S. supplies.

"Had President Clinton not vetoed the ANWR drilling bill in 1995, we would have at least an additional 1 million barrels a day of domestic oil production .... today," U.S. Energy Secretary Sam Bodman said.

Democrats, immediately promised to filibuster against the often expressed will of the majority in the United States Senate.

Apparently, Democrats seem to think that complaining about problems, like high gas prices and dependence of foreign oil, is easier than working for environmentally friendly solutions.

More info on oil, energy and ANWR in the Mike's America April 29th post.