The motivation here by Democrats wasn’t to accept the Keystone Pipeline, but rather help the rather helpless Mary Landrieu. And that’s why it didn’t pass:
FOX NEWS – A bill to approve the Keystone XL oil pipeline failed in the Senate on Tuesday by just one vote, in a setback not only for the energy project but the politically imperiled Democratic senator who pushed the legislation.
The bill failed on a 59-41 vote. It needed 60 to pass.
Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., had resurrected the legislation ahead of a tough runoff election next month, hoping to show her Washington clout and put Congress on record in support of the pipeline — even though the White House indicated President Obama would consider vetoing.
With pipeline backers falling short and the project still stuck in a State Department review process, Republicans already vowed to bring up the legislation in the next session when they have complete control of Congress.
“A new majority will be taking this matter up and sending it to the president,” Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said earlier Tuesday.