The White House has failed to convince the Senate to pass its much sought approval for oil drilling in a pristine Alaskan nature refuge, as the U.S. Senate Wednesday fell short of the number of votes needed to close debate on the provision, broadcast reports said, according to DPA. Republicans mustered only 57 votes to close debate, three short of the 60 necessary to end a parliamentary tactic known as the filibuster. The amendment that would have opened the refuge to drilling was attached to a military funding bill. It was not clear when the spending measure will be passed.
