The Senate blamed oil executives for oil supply shortages Wednesday, while the House, finding its budget-saving measure held hostage by a tiny group of anti-drilling Republican moderates, decided to drop an effort to permit drilling for oil.

From the Washington Post:

House GOP leaders agreed last night to strip plans to permit oil drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and in the offshore continental shelf from a $54 billion budget-cutting measure, probably securing the votes to pass the bill today.

The move is a blow to President Bush, who has made expanded oil exploration a priority since he took office. Lawmakers said the White House applied pressure yesterday to Republicans to save the drilling provisions, especially in Alaska, even wooing conservative Democrats who have steadfastly opposed the GOP budget package...

No word on what energy source was used to get the moderate Congressmen home, but it probably was oil.

Peyton Knight of the National Center for Public Policy Research has more on the ANWR provision the House dropped.

Addendum: PostWatch has a photo. Two photos, actually.