In a victory for the Bush administration and the energy industry, the Senate rejected an attempt to block oil and gas exploration in a portion of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska.

The budget resolution pending in the Senate includes a provision that assumes $2.5 billion in oil and gas royalties from ANWR over five years. The Senate on Nov. 3 narrowly turned back a proposal from Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), to delete the ANWR-related section from the budget measure. The vote was 51-48 against Cantwell's amendment.

Senate energy committee Chairman Pete Domenici (R-N.M.) said, "We still have some votes ahead of us, but our success in defeating the motion to strike the ANWR title makes it probable that the budget reconciliation package that comes out of the Senate will include the provision to develop our oil resources in the Arctic."

The Senate vote marked a defeat for environmental groups, who oppose drilling in ANWR.