House authorizes building of Keystone pipeline [View all]

Source: Washington Post

The House easily passed a measure Friday authorizing construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, sending it on to the Senate where the issue is expected to come up for a vote on Tuesday.

Lawmakers voted 252 to 161 to approve the project. Thirty-one Democrats, including a handful who lost reelection last week, joined with all but one Republican who voted for the bill. Rep. Justin Amash (Mich.), a renegade Republican who frequently bucks his party and top leaders, voted present.

An identical measure is set for debate and a vote Tuesday in the Senate, where Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) forced leaders to permit an up-or-down vote in hopes of settling a long-simmering concern for her state and to help buttress her reelection.

Landrieu faces Rep. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who was the lead sponsor on Friday's House bill, in a Dec. 6 runoff race for her Senate seat.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/11/14/house-passes-keystone-xl-construction-bill/?wpisrc=al_comboPN_p