Senate Passes Bill Approving Keystone XL Pipeline … Obama Has Vowed to Veto the Bill that Would Provide Jobs to Thousands of Americans

SENATE PASSES BILL APPROVING THE KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE.

On Thursday, the US Senate voted 62-36 passing a bill approving the construction of the XL Keystone pipeline. The House of Representatives passed a similar bill on January  9, for the 10th time. However, since the Senate bill has been amended, the two chambers will have to agree on one version before the bill goes to the president. Barack Obama has already threatened to veto the bill. The bill passed the Senate it a bi-partisan vote; as Democrats like Bennet (D-CO), Carper (D-DE), Casey (D-PA), Donnelly (D-IN), Heitkamp (D-ND), Manchin (D-WV), Tester (D-MT), McCaskill (D-MO) and Warner (D-VA) all voted for the bill that would provide jobs for Americans.

The Senate voted Thursday to build the controversial Keystone XL pipeline, despite a long-standing veto threat from the White House.

After three weeks of debate on 41 amendments, the Senate voted 62-36 to pass a bill approving the north-south pipeline for Canadian oil that Republicans say will create thousands of U.S. jobs. The tally was short of the 67 votes the Senate would need to override a presidential veto.

Nine Democrats joined a unanimous Republican caucus to support the bill: Sens. Michael Bennet of Colorado, Tom Carper of Delaware, Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, Joe Donnelly of Indiana, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Claire McCaskill of Missouri, Jon Tester of Montana and Mark Warner of Virginia.

Thursday morning, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., urged his colleagues to pass the measure. “Constructing Keystone would pump billions into our economy. It would support thousands of good American jobs,” he said. “And as the president’s own State Department has indicated, it would do this with minimal environmental impact.”

McConnell said the conclusion of myriad studies is: “We need to build it.”