House Approves Oil Drilling In Wildlife Refuge

"Jittery about voters' sour mood over high gasoline prices less than six months before congressional elections, the Republican-controlled House on Thursday passed an old favorite: legislation seeking to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling.

The measure, which was approved by a vote of 225 to 201, faces long odds in the Senate, where it has been blocked repeatedly by filibusters...But House Republicans wanted to return to their districts for Memorial Day able to say they had acted on energy legislation before the summer vacation season began."