House passes bill to fast-track Keystone XL oil pipeline

CBS News ^ | 11/14/2014 | Jake Miller

[SeekAndFind]

The House of Representatives passed a bill expediting the construction of the Keystone XL oil pipeline on Friday, thrusting Congress back into the debate over a long-stalled project lauded by proponents as a job creator and reviled by foes as an environmental disaster.

The bill passed by a margin of 252 to 161. This is the ninth time the House has passed such a bill on the pipeline. The Senate has planned a vote on a similar proposal next Tuesday.

The long-simmering debate over the pipeline's construction reached a sudden boil earlier this week when a group of lawmakers, led by Sens. Mary Landrieu, D-Louisiana, and John Hoeven, R-North Dakota, announced an agreement to bring the pipeline approval up for a vote during the Senate's lame duck session.

Landrieu, the powerful chairwoman of the Senate Energy and Commerce Committee, is facing a Senate runoff on December 6 against her GOP foe, Rep. Bill Cassidy. She is considered an underdog in that race, but some Democrats hope her dogged support for Keystone, which is strongly backed by oil and gas interests in her state, could sharpen her final pitch to voters.

It is likely no coincidence that House Republicans named the bill they passed Thursday the "Bill Cassidy Keystone Solution," punting credit to Landrieu's opponent.

Landrieu said Wednesday that she's more concerned about passing the bill than fencing with her opponent over who receives the credit for it.

"I mean to say this as sincerely as I can-if taking my name off this bill helps it to pass, go right ahead," she said. "This is not about credit, it is not about glory, it is not about politics. It is about getting our work done."

[SeekAndFind]

I think the Senate and the House might possibly muster 2/3 of their respective chamber’s votes to override an expected Obama veto.

[cripplecreek]

They might now.

Personally I think the whole fight could be avoided if we return the power to the states. There’s no reason anyone outside the directly affected states should have a say.

[EQAndyBuzz]

Oooh.. I see a Keystone for Illegal Amnesty fight brewing.

[CedarDave]

I think the Senate and the House might possibly muster 2/3 of their respective chamber’s votes to override an expected Obama veto.

I think everyone realizes it's just a ploy to boost Landrieu in her runoff bid, and nothing else. I seriously doubt that the current Senate could muster votes to override an Obama veto. Their allegiance to Dear Leader will not be swayed by short term support for one of their members who everyone expects to be lose in a tidal wave to Cassidy.

[TexasFreeper2009]

need 290 to override a veto

[Michael.SF.]

Landrieu said Wednesday that she's more concerned about passing the bill than fencing with her opponent over who receives the credit for it.

I am sure she would feel the same if she were 16 points up.

/s

[Sacajaweau]

Pretty close to 2/3s to override a veto. Is that a warning to Obama?

[Minsc]

I think you’re right.

[Sacajaweau]

Not sure...That’s only if all 435 members vote.

[Buckeye McFrog]

There’s no reason anyone outside the directly affected states should have a say.

That would give idiots like Mark Dayton and John Hickenlooper a veto over national energy policy.

[cripplecreek]

That would give idiots like Mark Dayton and John Hickenlooper a veto over national energy policy.

It would have been fought over and decided within their states years ago. A pipeline abruptly ending at the state line would be a rather visible incentive.

There are plenty of other impediments to progress that could be overcome by putting the senate back in their rightful place. The great lakes directional drilling ban and the fight over ANWR drilling to name a couple.

[CivilWarBrewing]

I know why this is happening (Landrieu), but all Americans see is this: ‘Republicans win on Nov. 4th, XL Keystone finally on the road to passage 10 days later.’

[lepton]

Ostensibly this is an international agreement, and certainly it is interstate, so that ends up as federal.

...of course they could build it right up to the borders and provide other means to get it across... :)

[SeekAndFind]

The vote was 252-161 in favor of Keystone.

Unfortunately, this tells me that if Obama (as expected), vetos it, there will not be enough votes in the House to override it. We need at least 290.

So, nice try, but not even close to have a cigar.

[Minsc]

They’ll have to revote on the override. Fat chance but you never know.

[Sacajaweau]

That vote was 63%...pretty close. 2/3's of those voting. Not 2/3s of 435.

Perhaps a bunch of Dems will simply not vote. At this point, they don't give a damn about Obama.

[SeekAndFind]

RE: That vote was 63%...pretty close. 2/3’s of those voting. Not 2/3s of 435.

OK, that was 413 votes with 252 in favor.

We’ll still need to find over 20 Democrat votes to override.

[SeekAndFind]

And in the Senate, we’ll need to find 13 additional Democrats who will defy their party to vote to override Obama’s veto (assuming Bill Cassidy wins the Dec. 6 Louisiana runoff ).

[familyop]

Bipartisan NIMBY real estate interests and other anti-competition interests will look to their leader from their closets as a last hope for stopping the Keystone XL. Real estate is dead for at least two more decades. They should just let it go.