Hawai'i's two U.S. senators, Daniel Inouye and Daniel Akaka, were among four Democrats who voted yesterday with the Republican majority in a key vote supporting oil drilling in an Alaska wildlife refuge.

Inouye and Akaka voted to stop debate and proceed to a vote on a defense spending bill to which the drilling measure had been added.

The vote was 56-44 but 60 votes were needed to stop the filibuster. After the drilling provision was pulled, the defense bill passed with Inouye and Akaka voting for it.

In a separate vote, the Senate voted 51-50 to pass legislation to cut federal deficits by $39.7 billion over five years. Inouye and Akaka voted against the bill; Vice President Dick Cheney broke the 50-50 tie with his vote.