US Senate blocks Alaska refuge drilling
{{date|December 22, 2005}}
{{Wikinews Today short infobox}}
By a narrow vote late in the evening on December 21st, 2005 the [[US Senate]] blocked opening the nation's oil reserve in {{w|Arctic National Wildlife Refuge|National Wildlife Refuge}} in [[Alaska]] .  This vote delivers a victory to environmentalists and denies the Bush administration their top energy priority.  Senator {{w|Ted Stevens}} ([[Republican Party (US)|R]]-Alaska) attached the drilling plan to a measure to fund ongoing military operations in [[Iraq]] and [[Afghanistan]]. However, the Senate late last night agreed to pass the defense bill, without the drilling provision. 

Two key Republicans, Lincoln D Chafee ([[Republican Party (US)|R]]-[[Rhode Island|R.I.]]) and {{w|Mike DeWine}} ([[Republican Party (US)|R]]-[[Ohio]]), joined Democrats in opposing the drilling. Senator Lieberman ([[Democratic Party (US)|D]]-[[Connecticut|Conn]]) said yesterday that Stevens was to blame for holding up money for the military. By including the drilling measure in the defense spending bill, it was hoped to twist the senators' arms into voting for both provisions together in the scramble to finish the important business before the Senate's Christmas break.

==Sources==

*{{source|url=http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=1431388
    |title=Senate Blocks Alaska Refuge Drilling
    |author=H. Josef Hebert, Associated Press Writer
    |pub=ABC News
    |date=December 21, 2005}} 

*{{source|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/21/AR2005122102128.html
    |title=And the Saga on Arctic Oil Drilling Continues
    |author=Juliet Eilperin
    |pub=Washington Post
    |date=December 22, 2005}}

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[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:Alaska]]
[[Category:United States]]
[[Category:Arctic]]
[[Category:North America]]
[[Category:US Congress]]
[[Category:US Senate]]
[[Category:Republican Party (United States)]]
[[Category:Democratic Party (United States)]]
[[Category:Ted Stevens]]
[[Category:Mike DeWine]]

[[de:US-Senat blockiert Alaska-Pläne von George W. Bush]]
By a narrow vote late in the evening on December 21st, 2005 the US Senate blocked opening the nation's oil reserve in National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska .  This vote delivers a victory to environmentalists and denies the Bush administration their top energy priority.  Senator  (R-Alaska) attached the drilling plan to a measure to fund ongoing military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, the Senate late last night agreed to pass the defense bill, without the drilling provision. 

Two key Republicans, Lincoln D Chafee (R-R.I.) and  (R-Ohio), joined Democrats in opposing the drilling. Senator Lieberman (D-Conn) said yesterday that Stevens was to blame for holding up money for the military. By including the drilling measure in the defense spending bill, it was hoped to twist the senators' arms into voting for both provisions together in the scramble to finish the important business before the Senate's Christmas break.

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Politics and conflicts Alaska United States Arctic North America US Congress US Senate Republican Party (United States) Democratic Party (United States) Ted Stevens Mike DeWine