Keystone XL Pipeline Bill Dies In Senate
The 7$ billion TransCanada Keystone XL pipeline project, intended to transport synthetic crude oil and diluted bitumen from Canada’s Athabasca Oil Sands into the United States, was shot down by Senate Democrats. As the Keystone oil pipeline bill is subjected to yet another hindrance, Republicans are left with an increased arsenal which will almost certainly be utilized to attack Barack Obama’s energy policies.
President Barack Obama has conveyed his support of the construction of the pipeline’s southern leg. Additionally, the Obama administration issued a statement through White House spokesman Clark Stevens who said:
“Once again, Republicans are trying to play politics with a pipeline project whose route has yet to be proposed. The entire [Keystone XL] project will take more than two years to build once permits are granted.”
Republicans believe that the Keystone XL pipeline will create jobs in addition to securing the cost of energy for the United States. Republicans have been using the Keystone pipeline proposal to place emphasis on Barack Obama’s delays of the project which they believe correlate with rising gasoline prices.
Senator John Hoeven (R) of North Dakota was quoted saying, “We’re going to continue this fight.” He went onto tell reporters that he was hoping the measure would still be attached to the highway funding package when the House of Representatives and Senate begin working on a finalized version of the bill.
The Obama administration was pressured into preventing the Keystone pipeline project by environmental groups who have been staging large protests.
With two absent Republican senators, the 45 present voted in favor of the amendment which resulted in a vote of 56-42 which was only four short of the 60 required to pass. Eleven Democratic senators voted alongside Republicans. Amongst the Democratic Senators voting in favor of the Republican Keystone XL project were Kent Conrad (ND), Jon Tester (MT), Max Baucus (MT), Jim Webb (VA), Claire McCaskill (MO), and Bob Casey (PA).
What are your thoughts on the Keystone XL Pipeline?
Source:
