LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Domestic energy policy is in play today in Washington. President Bush set the stage over the weekend in his radio address, urging oil and gas exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Now, that, as you may recall, is one the most contentious issues on the table, but, it is, by no means, the only one. CNN White House Correspondent, Major Garrett checks in now. He's going to lay out the parameters of this debate for us right now. Hello, Major.</s>MAJOR GARRETT, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon to you, Leon. As far as the Senate energy debate, well the White House knows it goes into that debate somewhat shorthanded. At least in the question of opening up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for exploration for oil and natural gas production. Here is why. The White House has done a quick vote check -- actually, more than quick -- a rather expansive vote check in the Senate. It found it has about 51 or 52 votes to actually approve Arctic National Wildlife drilling. Ordinarily, that would be enough, but there is staunch resistance among Senate Democrats to allowing that happening, so the president would need 60 votes to break an expected Senate Democratic filibuster. Privately, the White House concedes, they see no way of achieving that. The best they can hope for is to have some means by which the Senate debate at least shows the country there is a majority, albeit very slim in the Senate, to go ahead with Arctic National Wildlife Refuge drilling and exploration, to at lease prove the point. The White House says it's going to continue to debate the issue, continue to deal with Senate Democrats who are opposed to this, as a part of the larger message to the country that it needs a comprehensive energy plan, the president said. One that balances conservation with new exploration for domestic sources of oil and natural gas. Leon?</s>HARRIS: Major Garrett at the White House. Thank you very much. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com Filibuster>
60 Votes Needed to Break Arctic Refuge Drilling Filibuster