House Passes Keystone Bill, Senate Action Uncertain

[Hissyspit]

http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE81G04Z20120217?irpc=932

House passes Keystone bill, Senate action uncertain

WASHINGTON | Thu Feb 16, 2012 9:11pm EST

By Roberta Rampton

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The House of Representatives passed an energy bill on Thursday that would wrest control of a permit for the controversial Keystone XL oil pipeline away from President Barack Obama, who has put the project on hold.

The bill, part of a broader House Republican effort to fund highways and infrastructure projects, would also expand offshore oil drilling and open up parts of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling.

While approval of the Keystone measure by the House was widely expected, what happens with a similar proposal in the Democratic-controlled Senate is not yet clear.

Senate leaders were still negotiating on Thursday whether to allow a vote on Keystone as part of debate on a highway funding legislation, said Senator John Hoeven, a Republican from North Dakota who has been a key advocate for the $7 billion Canada-to-Texas project.

[limpyhobbler]

1. Dems control the Senate and the Presidency. If they don't block this somewhere, there is no excuse.

[FarPoint]

2. Ultimately ..

The President will veto.

[razorman]

3. I'm not so sure. It is an election year, and he doesn't like to be pinned down.