In the latest chapter of the battle over oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), Republican leaders in the House of Representatives dropped a provision from the budget bill that would have allowed for exploratory drilling in the protected area. More than 20 Republicans said they would not vote for a bill that included a plan for drilling. There is speculation that the Senate, which previously passed a version of the budget containing the drilling measure, will object to the decision, according to an Associated Press article. When the House version of the budget bill is passed, members of the House and Senate will have to resolve their differences between the two bills, then put the bill to a final vote. Pro-drilling lawmakers are now debating if they will pass a budget bill without the ANWR provision.
