It looks like Keystone is headed to the Senate where it will surely pass, and then to Obama’s desk. Screw the veto threat, let’s make him put his money where his mouth is:
WASHINGTON TIMES – The Keystone XL pipeline cleared its first hurdle of the new Congress on Friday when the House voted to approve construction of the long-stalled project, just hours after a court in Nebraska cleared a final legal hurdle there.
The 266-153 vote saw 28 Democrats side with the GOP in backing the pipeline, signaling significant though not overwhelming support for the controversial project that would carry crude oil from Canada into the U.S. for refinement.
President Obama has already vowed a veto, and the vote signals there are probably not enough votes to override him if he does follow through.
“There is no excuse — scientific or otherwise — for the president to continue blocking the pipeline,” said House Speaker John A. Boehner. “An overwhelming majority of Americans support this job-creating energy project and President Obama ought to respect their will and stop standing in the way.”
If Obama wants to deny American jobs, then let him do it for all to see.
Also, Canada responded to the Keystone victory in the Nebraska Supreme Court. And they make clear the only last hindrance to Keystone being accepted is Obama:
Today the Nebraska Supreme Court upheld a 2012 state law that allowed Gov. Dave Heineman to approve the Keystone Xl pipeline route through the state.
Canada welcomes the decision. This now clears the way for the State Department to complete the process.
Our position on Keystone remains the same: we believe the project should be approved. It will crate jobs for American and Canadian workers, it has the support of the Canadian and American people, and the State Department itself has indicated it can be developed in an environmentally sustainable manner.
Since 2005, exports of Canadian crude to the United States have increased 59% and are at historic highs. The decision for the Obama Administration is between pipelines and less secure means of transporting crude.
Right now this is not a debate between Canada and the US, it’s a debate between the President and the American people, who are overwhelmingly supportive of the project. We will not comment on the American political process.