Republicans Stand Up for Fairness on ANWR

One provision that was not in the behemoth energy bill signed into law earlier this week was the opening of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to oil and gas exploration and drilling. Senate opponents of the measure launched a bipartisan filibuster that kept ANWR out of the energy bill ... but Senator Pete Domenici (R-NM) has indicated that he will include language to open ANWR in the Senate's budget legislation, which is not subject to a filibuster. Back in March, the Senate voted 51-49 to leave ANWR provisions in the budget, so a similar vote could be expected next time.

The budget tactic could work (it did ten years ago, before President Clinton vetoed it) - a reconciliation bill passed by both chambers and signed by the president "has the force of law," as the Associated Press notes - but first the House leadership must decide to include the provision in its version of the budget bill.

Some Republicans in that chamber are standing up for fair legislative procedures, however - twenty-four members of the House Republican caucus have sent a letter to Speaker Denny Hastert, Budget Committee Chairman Jim Nussle, and Resources Committee Chairman Richard Pombo urging them not to include the ANWR language in the budget. In the letter, the members note, correctly, that "that the budget process 'is an inappropriate venue to be debating this important environmental issue' and warned that it would further complicate already difficult budget issues," according to the AP.

The signers, led by Rep. Jeb Bradley of New Hampshire go on to say "We believe the debate on opening this unique land to oil and gas exploration should be done outside the budget process."

These aren't just your average back-bencher Republican members: the two dozen opponents of putting ANWR in the budget include three powerful committee chairmen: James Sensenbrenner of the Judiciary Committee, Tom Davis of the Government Reform Committee, and Sherwood Boehlert of the Science Committee. All three (and presumably the other signers as well, I haven't found a full list yet) favored striking ANWR language from the energy bill back in April as well.

I have little hope that this letter will cause the House Republican leadership to keep ANWR out of the budget ... unfortunately. But I hope that these two dozen Republicans will consider opposing the budget if the provision is included. It's not the place for this.