ANWR

The Senate is set to vote today on allowing oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge:

Both sides in a U.S. Senate debate over opening an Alaskan wildlife refuge to oil drilling expected a close vote on Wednesday over the latest attempt by Senate Republicans to pass the measure, this time by adding it to a big military-spending bill.

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, known as ANWR, which sprawls along Alaska's northern coast and may hold 10 billion barrels of oil, has been the focus of bitter wrangling in Congress for more than two decades.

Most Senate Democrats and some moderate Republicans say the frigid wilderness and its assortment of wildlife, ranging from polar bears to peregrine falcons, should be protected. Republicans contend the refuge must be opened to drilling to stop a steady slide in U.S. crude-oil production.

How will Tim Johnson vote?

UPDATE:  Tim Johnson promoted the bill in a press release, but then voted against it!  He's reminding me of John Kerry:

"I actually did vote for the $87 billion before I voted against it."

UPDATE II:  John Thune statement:

“Senate Democrats are obstructing an effort to pass legislation that provides America a chance to become less dependent on foreign sources of energy. This bill would not only open ANWR for oil exploration and drilling, but it would also provide a long-term funding stream for LIHEAP,” said Thune. “With energy costs at an all-time high and families going cold because of the high cost of home heating oil, it is inexcusable for the Senate Democrats to play politics with this issue.”

In addition to providing vital funding for our troops and opening ANWR, the Fiscal Year 2006 Defense Appropriations bill also provides $2 billion for LIHEAP. The bill includes a provision to allow lease sales to produce 10.4 billion barrels of oil from the Artic National Wildlife Refuge and direct 5% of revenues from ANWR to provide the long-term funding for LIHEAP.

“This winter’s freezing temperatures are putting an enormous strain on families and current LIHEAP funds, so it is irresponsible for Senate Democrats to obstruct an issue as important as this,” said Thune. “By choosing to filibuster this needed legislation, Senate Democrats are leaving South Dakota’s low income families out in the cold. I urge my Senate colleagues to put cold and freezing families ahead of protests and politics.”

UPDATE III:  The Argus Leader responds:

Sen. Tim Johnson vehemently opposed the attempt by Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, to attach Senate approval for oil exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to the defense appropriation bill.

“I think we have reached the point in the U.S. Senate where we need to have the backbone to stand up to this kind of cynical bullying going on,” said Johnson, who voted to defeat the measure that failed 56-44. “It sets an awful precedent.

“If we allow pork barrel projects to be added to the defense bill at the last moment, we will see this happen each and every year.”

Defeat of the ANWR amendment on a cloture vote, according to Johnson, sends “a message to Sen. Stevens and those who want to establish this awful precedent undermining the integrity of the U.S Senate.”

Proponents of the ANWR amendment say the Senate rejection of the defense appropriation bill will force it to be reworked, and military spending will be in jeopardy, because the House will not be able to vote on a new defense bill without the ANWR amendment before it returns to session in late January.

However, Johnson predicts a bill could still be approved this week by securing the unanimous consent of House members, who adjourned for the year Tuesday

“If we got ANWR out, by unanimous consent we could approve the rest of the defense bill,” Johnson said.

Sen. John Thune, a proponent of ANWR oil exploration, pointed out the defense appropriation bill also contained $2 billion in immediate funding for the Low Income Heating and Energy Assistance Program, and it called for directing 5 percent of all revenue from ANWR oil leases to LIHEAP.

“With energy costs at an all-time high and families going cold because of the high cost of home heating oil, it is in

Speaking of LIHEAP, Johnson was recently bemoaning it, and now he votes against it.

UPDATE IV:  I just discovered this article, reprinted in my hometown paper from the Madison Daily Leader.

UPDATE V:  From the South Dakota Republican Party:

Sen. Tim Johnson voted today to block the Defense spending bill which contains important funding for our military, as well as low income heating assistance,  hurricane relief and a provision allowing for oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

“These are very important issues that have a big impact on South Dakotans,” said South Dakota Republican Party Executive Director Max Wetz. “For Sen. Johnson to hold up such an important piece of legislation runs counter to the best interests of the state and the nation.”

Johnson’s vote comes just two days after he touted funds set aside in the bill.

Johnson was one of 44 Senators who voted to continue a filibuster on the bill which, as a press release from his office points out, provides important Defense Department funding for projects like upgrading the communications systems of South Dakota’s B-1 Bombers.