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No sign of ANWR in latest U.S. House budget resolution
The U.S. House Budget Committee endorsed a proposed budget resolution March 29 that makes no mention of drilling for oil and gas on the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
The omission stands out sharply in comparison with a Senate budget resolution adopted two weeks ago. The Senate passed a $2.7 trillion budget resolution, 51-49, March 16 with ANWR drilling language included. It calls for raising $3 billion in revenues from leasing tracts in the 1.5 million-acre 1002 Area of ANWR that Congress set aside for possible oil exploration 25 years ago.
The House proposal also differs markedly from the FY 2006 budget resolution passed by the same House committee last year. That version included a provision for oil development in ANWR.
The latest proposal, which passed the House Budget Committee on a 22-17 party-line vote after an exhausting daylong session March 29, now goes before the full House of Representatives for a vote. Differences would be hammered out in conference committee If approved, it will join the Senate measure in conference committee where congressional leaders will hammer out differences. This gives ANWR drilling a solid chance of being included in the budgetary blueprint that returns to the House and Senate for final approval.
ANWR supporters offered a glimmer of hope March 30 that drilling language might still make it into the House budget resolution.
“The whole matter is still under review,” said Grant Thompson, press secretary for Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska. “They haven’t decided in which direction they are going with it yet. They are looking for a vehicle for it. ANWR is still under discussion. It is not dead.”
If the final budget resolution calls for revenue from ANWR leases, then a separate budget bill with ANWR drilling language would stand a good chance of passing both houses of Congress later this year. Budget bills require a simple majority of votes rather than the two-thirds majority needed for other legislation. They also are exempt from bill-stalling filibusters.
Last year’s final budget resolution called for ANWR revenues. The Senate then passed a budget bill to open the coastal plain to oil drilling, but the reconciliation measure, which was burdened with cuts to entitlement programs, died in the House when a group of moderate Republicans objected and Republican leaders couldn’t gather any votes among Democrats to pass the legislation.
— Rose Ragsdale
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