"I applaud todays vote in the House to allow for environmentally responsible energy exploration in a small part of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge," the president said in a statement, saying the the new oil source should help make America less dependent on imported oil.

"A reliable domestic supply of energy is important to America's security and prosperity," Bush said.

"This project will keep our economy growing by creating jobs and ensuring that businesses can expand. And it will make America less dependent on foreign sources of energy, eventually by up to a million barrels of crude oil a day -- a nearly 20 percent increase over our current domestic production," he said, calling on the US Senate to pass a similar bill.

The Senate has blocked previous attempts to permit oil drilling in the area, and environmental groups say scores of rare and endangered wildlife species would be put at risk by the proposal.

The House bill, which passed by a vote of 225 to 201, directs the US Secretary of the Interior to begin leasing a portion of the refuge along Alaskas northern coast for oil exploration.

Republicans have lobbied for years to allow exploration of Alaska's environmentally-sensitive wildlife refuge.

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