GOP one vote short of ANWR drilling

This is coming down to the wire.

An internal GOP memo that circulated Tuesday in the Senate expressed confidence that 49 senators now plan to vote for drilling in the refuge, starting a scramble in search of the remaining lawmaker who would be needed to get the provision through as part of a budget measure.

"Dick Cheney has been working madly to secure the 50th (vote)," said the staff memo developed in the offices of Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee and Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska.

The swing votes are Democrats Lincoln and Pryor, and Republicans Smith and Coleman. (If any of these senators are yours, start making calls.)

Both Kerry and Lieberman have promised to filibuster any such bill, which means Republicans would need a far less attainable 60 votes to pass the measure. And the two are probably chomping at the bit to prove their environmental bona fides to the Dem primary electorate.

However, the Senate GOP is maneouvering to include the provision in the budget resolution, which is not subject to filibuster. Apparently, this parliamentary maneouver is also immune to filibuster.

The GOP must be denied that last vote.

Posted March 12, 2003 03:30 PM | Comments (65)