During consideration of S. 2284, the National Flood Insurance Reform and Modernization Act, Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) offered an amendment that would have opened the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling, allowed oil and gas development in offshore coastal waters that have been protected by a federal moratorium since 1981, encouraged the use of high greenhouse gas intensive liquid coal technology, and promoted environmentally destructive oil shale mining on public lands.

By unanimous consent, the Senate agreed that 60 votes would be required to pass the McConnell amendment. On May 13, the amendment failed by a vote of 42-56 (Senate roll call vote 123). NO IS THE PRO-ENVIRONMENT VOTE.