Keystone XL Pipeline officially approved by Congress, Obama promises veto

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February 13, 2015

WASHINGTON — Congress officially passed authorization for the Keystone XL pipeline, but President Obama has vowed to veto when the bill hits his desk.

The US House passed the legislation Thursday evening 270-152. The entire Alabama Congressional delegation voted for the measure, including Terri Sewell (D-AL7), the state’s only Democrat in Congress, who bucked her Party’s leadership — including the White House — to vote with her Alabama colleagues. She was one of only 29 House Democrats to do so.

The bill is expected to land on President Obama’s desk on February 23rd, after Congress returns from its Presidents Day recess. If President follows through with his promise to veto the bill it will only be his 3rd veto since taking office. Republicans in Congress are not expected to have enough support to override a veto, though the pipeline enjoys strong bipartisan support.

The Keystone XL Pipeline is phase 4 of an existing pipeline, and its status has languished for the last several years as the Obama administration refuses to approve its completion, citing environmental concerns. Keystone XL would have the ability to transport up to 830,000 barrels of heavy crude oil across the United States every day from oil fields as far north as Canada to refineries on the Gulf Coast. The State Department estimates building the pipeline could provide as many as 42,000 jobs.

“This commonsense project will create thousands of good-paying jobs, mutually benefit both us and our good friends North in Canada, and set the stage for more and much-needed American energy projects,” Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions said after the Senate passed Keystone authorization in January. “For the President to veto this bill would be to put the irrational, discredited demands of a few far-left activists over the interests of thousands of American workers.”

Keystone has been waiting for six years to gain permission to complete the pipeline from the Obama administration, which has dragged its feet by conducting numerous environmental and economic surveys.