"The Republican-controlled Senate passed legislation to cut federal deficits by $39.7 billion on Wednesday by the narrowest of margins, 51-50, with Vice President Dick Cheney casting the deciding vote... Within a few hours, Republicans suffered a sharp setback on a second major conservative priority, legislation to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling. Supporters of the measure, led by Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, failed to overcome a Democratic filibuster. The vote was 56-44, four short of the 60 needed to prevail. read on