As of Wednesday afternoon, Republicans had claimed 51 Senate seats and still had the possibility of picking up two more seats in tight races in South Dakota and Louisiana.

Democratic Sens. John Kerry and Joseph Lieberman - both possible presidential candidates in 2004 - have vowed to filibuster any bill that would give oil companies access to the refuge. ANWR, which is home to polar bears, caribou and other wildlife, sprawls across 19 million acres (7.7 million hectares) of Alaska's northeast corner.

Still, the White House was optimistic this week that a broad energy bill to promote more domestic oil and gas production would have a better chance in the new Congress.

"When you take a look at energy legislation to make America more energy independent, when you take a look at protecting people's pensions. Those are two of the important issues that did not get passed by the Congress that the president thinks are in the national interest that perhaps now have a better chance," said White House spokesman Ari Fleischer.

NEW ENERGY PANEL LEADER

A new energy bill would be shepherded through the next Congress by the new Republican chairman of the Senate Energy Committee.

Sen. Pete Domenici of New Mexico would likely fill that post, replacing outgoing top committee Republican Frank Murkowski, who was elected his state's new governor. A Domenici spokesman said the senator was in line to head the energy committee, but has not announced whether he wants the spot.

In other committee changes, Republican James Inhofe of Oklahoma is expected to become chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee from Vermont independent James Jeffords. Under Jeffords, the environment panel tried to limit air pollution from aging coal-fired utilities.

Lawmaker negotiations on a pending a broad energy bill stalled last month, largely due to a sharp divide between Republicans and Democrats over drilling in the Alaskan refuge.

Senate Republican Leader Trent Lott said when Congress returns next week for a post-election lameduck session, there was a chance lawmakers may finish work on the energy bill.

However, a U.S. business lobbying group said Congress will probably wait until next year to tackle an energy bill.

"The Republican leadership is likely to believe they would like to start over in the next Congress on that issue," said Bruce Josten, executive vice president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. "I'd handicap that as a 108th Congress issue."

Indeed, Lott said his priorities in the new Congress included a new energy policy to ensure plentiful fuel for the U.S. economy.

ELECTRICITY, ETHANOL

Republicans generally back the Alaskan drilling proposal as a way to help reduce U.S. imports of foreign oil from unfriendly nations like Iraq. Democrats say improved fuel efficiency for cars and SUVs would offset any need for the Alaskan oil.

Other contentious issues in the pending energy bill included boosting ethanol usage as a cleaner-burning fuel and reforming U.S. electricity markets.

Wall Street analysts said the Republican control of both chambers was good for U.S. utilities, many of which have been hit by credit downgrades and slumping share prices.

For example, there should now be enough support to repeal a Depression-era law barring utility mergers. Repeal of the Public Utility Holding Company Act (PUHCA) is opposed by many Democrats who say more regulations - not less - are needed to protect consumers.