Republicans Keep Pushing Keystone XL Pipeline

Never let it be said that Republicans are not tenacious when it comes to their support for fossil fuels and knee-jerk opposition to President Obama. Republicans in Congress are trying yet again to force the President’s hand on the Keystone XL pipeline. A motion was already passed in the House and another is expected today (November 18th) in the Senate.

The House of Representatives passed a measure Friday (November 14) that would force approval of the Keystone XL pipeline with a vote of 252 to 161. Nearly all Republicans voted for the bill, along with 31 Democrats. This is the ninth time the House has tried to push the President on the Keystone XL.

There are now 59 votes in the Senate in support of the pipeline, one shy of the required 60 votes All 45 Republicans support the pipeline, so they need 15 Democraté At a press conference in Myanmar the President issued his strongest KXL warning to date:

“Understand what this project is: it is providing the ability of Canada to pump their oil, send it through our land, down to the Gulf, where it will be sold everywhere else. It doesn’t have an impact on US gas prices. If my Republican friends really want to focus on what’s good for the American people in terms of job creation and lower energy costs, we should be engaging in a conversation about what are we doing to produce even more homegrown energy? I’m happy to have that conversation.”

The President has already promised he would veto any bill that does not follow the process currently in play. This involves another State Department review. “I’ve been clear in the past,” said Obama. “My position hasn’t changed, that this is a process that is supposed to be followed.”

If Senate Republicans are unable to secure the votes they need today, they will wait until January or February when there will be an influx of pro-oil GOP legislators who were elected in the November midterms. KXL supporters could introduce a standalone bill or attach Keystone to another bill.

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