Editorial: Alaska drilling amendment doesn't belong in defense bill; Senate agrees

Wednesday, December 21, 2005

An excerpt from an editorial that appeared in the Appleton (WI) Post Crescent on December 20, 2005:

Quick question: What do Alaskan caribou, Louisiana levees and the avian flu all have in common?

Answer: The $453 billion defense bill just passed by the House of Representatives.

In another example of Capitol creativity, Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens attached a provision that would open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil drilling to the must-pass bill that ostensibly funds American military operations. What one has to do with the other apparently isn't relevant.

Lawmakers call such amendments "Christmas trees"; they try to attach agenda-driven amendments to bills that must pass before Christmas recess, hoping that they'll get carried along like barnacles. It's a practice that needs some serious regulation. Even Sen. John McCain noted that the "system is broken."

On December 21, 2005, U.S. Senate Democrats seemed to agree with the editorial:

U.S. Senate Democrats blocked a bid to allow oil drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, handing President George W. Bush a defeat on a top domestic priority." (Bloomberg)