U.S. Senate Symbolic Vote To Support Keystone XL Pipeline

The Senate on Friday voted 62-37 to approve the proposed Keystone XL oil sands pipeline in an amendment to Senate budget.  Sen. John Hoeven’s (R-N.D.) amendment was symbolic, but served as a clear statement that the Senate backs the pipeline. The White House, the the State Department, has the final say because the project crosses an international border.  It puts the Senate on record in support of the Keystone pipeline project.

All Republicans voted in favor. The Democrats who supported the measure were Sens. Max Baucus (Mont.), Mark Begich (Alaska), Michael Bennet (Colo.), Tom Carper (Del.), Bob Casey (Pa.), Chris Coons (Del.), Joe Donnelly (Ind.), Kay Hagan (N.C.), Heidi Heitkamp (N.D.), Tim Johnson (S.D.), Mary Landrieu (La.), Joe Manchin (W. Va.), Claire McCaskill (Mo.), Bill Nelson (Fla.), Mark Pryor (Ark.), Jon Tester (Mont.) and Mark Warner (Va.).

The Senate Democrats’ budget plan is non-binding, and reconciliation with the GOP House version is unlikely. Hoeven has proposed separate legislation that would bypass President Obama’s authority to decide the Canada-to-Texas pipeline's fate. (The Hill, 3/22/2013)