Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

WASHINGTON, March 16 - President Bush's long-stalled plan to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling cleared a major hurdle on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, when the Senate voted to include the proposal in its budget, a maneuver that smoothes the way for Congress to approve drilling later this year.

Senate Votes to Allow Drilling in Arctic Reserve
By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG
The New York Times