The U.S. Senate yesterday voted 99-0 to approve a $345 billion anti-terrorism defense bill, after voting 100-0 not to get sidetracked by amendments like one that would have opened up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska to oil and gas drilling. Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) had proposed to add the entire GOP energy bill to the defense bill, but even he in effect voted against his proposal after Republicans met together and decided not to engage in such partisan tactics. However, Senate Minority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.) later promised to try to advance GOP energy plans by the end of the year, even it meant stirring up partisan conflict in the Senate in the future.
