Chamber Must Reconcile Its Version of Bill With House’s Before Sending to Obama
WASHINGTON—The Senate on Thursday passed legislation approving the Keystone XL pipeline, moving the Republican-controlled Congress one step closer to a showdown with President Barack Obama over the long-stalled project.
After more than two weeks of floor debate, the Senate on Thursday passed the bill by a 62-36 vote. Debate on the legislation covered a range of topics, including prairie chickens, climate change and renewable energy.
Nine Democrats joined all of the Republicans who were present in supporting the legislation, which would authorize TransCanada Corp. , the Canadian company behind the project, to proceed even though the Obama administration hasn’t completed its review of the project.
snip White House spokesman Josh Earnest reiterated the administration’s opposition on Thursday, citing a review process at the State Department, which has been under way for more than six years, as the reason Mr. Obama would veto the legislation.
Who cares. Besides this issue being inconsequential in the broad scope of things, watching professional losers like Lisa Murkowski doing victory laps over this like it is meaningful is pathetic. Wake me up when these great GOP leaders override the inevitable veto that is coming. Then there will be something to actual cheer about.