This vote was on a motion to cut off debate and proceed to a vote on Senator Richard Bryan's (D-NV) bill to improve automobile fuel efficiency 40% by the year 2000. Environmentalists strongly supported the bill because it would have significantly reduced carbon dioxide emissions that cause global warming. By cutting gasoline consumption, the Bryan bill would also have reduced pressure for oil drilling in sensitive areas like the outer continental shelf and Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The Bryan bill would have greatly increased America's energy independence by saving 2.8 million barrels of oil per day -- one million barrels per day more than we import from the entire Persian Gulf.

The Bush Administration and the automobile companies opposed the Bryan bill and forced the Senate to take two separate votes to end the industry-backed filibuster. The first effort to cut off debate passed by a vote of 68-28. Sixty votes are needed to end a filibuster. But after heavy industry and White House lobbying, eleven senators switched their votes, and the attempt to cut off the second filibuster failed 57-42 on September 25th. Yes is the pro-environment vote.