WASHINGTON, June 28 (Xinhuanet) -- The US Senate overwhelmingly approved a energy legislation on Tuesday that was embraced by both Republicans and Democrats but its chance of becoming law depends on hard bargaining in the coming months in the US Congress.

    The bill, which passed the Senate with a vote of 85-12, includes a proposed 18-billion-dollar in energy tax breaks, an expansion of ethanol use and measures aimed at increasing natural gas imports to meet growing demand.

    However, the legislation says nothing about drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska, although that's a top priority of the Bush administration.

    The US House of Representatives approved a new energy bill in April aimed at boosting domestic energy production including provisions to allow oil drilling in an Alaska wildlife refuge. TheHouse-passed bill calls for developing the refuge and assumes 2.6 billion dollars over 10 years in federal revenue from refuge oil lease sales.

    President Bush has called on the US Congress to give him an energy bill by August. Most US senators believe that is unrealistic, given the expected difficult discussions still ahead.Enditem