WASHINGTON, Dec. 21 (Xinhuanet) -- The U.S. Senate late on Wednesday approved a 453.3 billion dollar defense spending bill, including 50 billion dollars for American operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and a defense policy bill banning torture of prisoners under U.S. custody.

    The defense spending bill was passed by a vote of 93-0 after a provision to allow drilling for oil in a wildlife preserve in Alaska was removed.

    Senate Democrats have been strongly opposed to the oil-drilling provision, which was championed by Senator Ted Stevens, a Republican from Alaska, and supported by top Republicans and the White House.

    As the House's version of the defense funding bill contained the provision to allow oil drilling in Arctic wildlife refuge in Alaska, it would have to take formal action on its version of the legislation, before President George W. Bush could sign it into law.

    The House passed both the defense policy bill and the defense spending bill early Monday.

    The Senate also approved 29 billion dollars in funds for reconstruction in states along the Gulf Coast struck by hurricanes this year.

    The money, which was attached to the defense spending bill, would be used on economic development, rebuilding levees, schools and other infrastructure in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and other Gulf Coast areas hit by Hurricane Katrina in August and two subsequent storms. Enditem