"This issue is a matter of national security and I hope the Senate acts quickly," Bush said.

The House of Representatives approved a broad energy bill in August that included language opening the refuge.

Senate Republicans have been pushing for an immediate vote in their chamber on a similar bill and claim a majority of senators would favor drilling in the refuge.

But Senate Democratic Majority Leader Tom Daschle says Republicans must get 60 votes, not just a simple 51 majority, to end a threatened filibuster from Democratic lawmakers who oppose giving energy firms access to the refuge.

The United States must import almost 60 percent of the 20 million barrels of oil it consumes each day, with most of that crude coming from OPEC.

"Too much of our energy comes from the Middle East," Bush said.

Indeed, the administration has warned that the U.S. economy and nation's security is at risk from depending too much on oil shipments from volatile middle eastern countries.

Iraq alone is currently the sixth largest foreign supplier of oil to the United States, according to the Energy Department.

Government estimates put the amount of oil in the refuge at 16 billion barrels, enough to replace the amount of crude the United States imports from Iraq for 70 years.

Environmentalists strongly oppose drilling in the Arctic refuge, arguing that caribou, polar bears and other wildlife would be harmed.