WASHINGTON Two dozen House Republicans have asked Speaker Dennis Hastert not to use a congressional budget procedure to clear the way for oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. House Science Chairman Sherwood Boehlert from New York is among them.
The congressmen say the budget process is not the right forum for debating the drilling issue.
House leaders say they haven't decided to include a provision authorizing oil lease sales in the Alaska refuge in a so-called budget "reconciliation" document.
The document isn't open to filibuster, which the Senate has used to block legislation approving Alaska drilling.
The 24 G-O-P lawmakers who signed the letter did not all say they would vote against the budget if a drilling provision were included.
Among those signing the letter were three committee chairmen: Science Chairman Sherwood Boehlert of New York, Judiciary Chairman James Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin, and Government Reform Chairman Thomas Davis of Virginia.