House Passes Keystone Bill | Russell T. Rudy Energy LLC
“Rigzone” reports that on Friday the U. S. House of representatives passed Representative Bill Cassidy’s (R-LA) Keystone Pipeline bill 252-161. Marie Landrieu (D-LA), the Chairman of the Senate Energy Committee is now co-sponsoring John Hoeven’s (R-ND) companion bill in the upper chamber. Given that Cassidy and Landrieu are facing each other in a run-off election on December 6, both are eager to get credit for passage of the bill. A number of Senate Democrats favor the measure, so it should easily pass with a simple majority. However, sources indicate that the bill is currently one vote short of the 60 votes required to pre-empt a filibuster.
Even with Senate passage there is still a good chance President Obama will veto the legislation. The Obama administration has been studying the Keystone Pipeline proposal for 6 years. The $8 billion dollar project would transport 800,000 barrels a day of oil from Canada’s tar sands and the U.S. Bakken shale.
Supporters point out the number of jobs created and the energy security implications of the pipeline. Opponents cite pending litigation in Nebraska and the potential for increased carbon emissions.
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