House Panel Favors Expanded Drilling

The vote increases the prospects of arctic refuge oil exploration. A provision to allow searches off U.S. coasts faces greater opposition.

WASHINGTON
The measure will be packaged into an omnibus spending-cut bill before going to the House floor.

In the Senate, the Energy and Natural Resources Committee has approved Arctic drilling. The Budget Committee voted Wednesday to include it in the spending-cut bill, which, by Senate rules, is immune from the filibusters that have blocked the drilling for years.

LA Times