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| Landrieu says Senate set to vote on Keystone XL pipeline | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| This item updated at 6:13 p.m. | This item updated at 6:13 p.m. |
| Suddenly on Capitol Hill, it's all about Louisiana. | Suddenly on Capitol Hill, it's all about Louisiana. |
| The two lawmakers locked in the Pelican State's competitive Senate runoff election seized control of the congressional agenda Wednesday by extracting assurances from House and Senate leaders that votes will be held to authorize construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. | The two lawmakers locked in the Pelican State's competitive Senate runoff election seized control of the congressional agenda Wednesday by extracting assurances from House and Senate leaders that votes will be held to authorize construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. |
| Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and Rep. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who will face each other in a Dec. 6 Senate runoff, have championed construction of the pipeline, which would transport oil from tar sands of Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. The project is backed by the oil industry, a major player in Louisiana's economy and politics, and is widely popular among state residents. | Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and Rep. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who will face each other in a Dec. 6 Senate runoff, have championed construction of the pipeline, which would transport oil from tar sands of Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. The project is backed by the oil industry, a major player in Louisiana's economy and politics, and is widely popular among state residents. |
| With three weeks of campaigning to go, Landrieu and Cassidy came back to Washington at the start of a lame-duck congressional session that was expected to focus primarily on passing a short-term spending bill, paring down a list of Obama administration nominations and perhaps reaching an agreement to extend some tax breaks. | With three weeks of campaigning to go, Landrieu and Cassidy came back to Washington at the start of a lame-duck congressional session that was expected to focus primarily on passing a short-term spending bill, paring down a list of Obama administration nominations and perhaps reaching an agreement to extend some tax breaks. |
| But in recent days several Democrats and Republicans have cited authorization of the oil pipeline as a modest proposal that could be used to restore bipartisan cooperation in the fractured Congress. Party leaders agreed, saying it likely would come up early next year in the new Congress. | But in recent days several Democrats and Republicans have cited authorization of the oil pipeline as a modest proposal that could be used to restore bipartisan cooperation in the fractured Congress. Party leaders agreed, saying it likely would come up early next year in the new Congress. |
| Landrieu, however, had other ideas. | Landrieu, however, had other ideas. |
| "I don't think we necessarily need to wait until January," she said Wednesday afternoon, shortly after top leaders formally reconvened the Senate. | "I don't think we necessarily need to wait until January," she said Wednesday afternoon, shortly after top leaders formally reconvened the Senate. |
| She eventually secured an agreement from Democratic and Republican leaders to hold a vote authorizing the pipeline as early as next Tuesday. | She eventually secured an agreement from Democratic and Republican leaders to hold a vote authorizing the pipeline as early as next Tuesday. |
| House Republican leaders also announced plans to hold a vote as early as Thursday to authorize the pipeline, the ninth time the GOP-controlled House has voted to approve the pipeline in the past six years. | House Republican leaders also announced plans to hold a vote as early as Thursday to authorize the pipeline, the ninth time the GOP-controlled House has voted to approve the pipeline in the past six years. |
| "It is easy to wonder if the Senate is only considering this because of politics, even so, I hope the Senate and the President do the right thing and pass this legislation creating thousands of jobs," Cassidy said in a statement. | "It is easy to wonder if the Senate is only considering this because of politics, even so, I hope the Senate and the President do the right thing and pass this legislation creating thousands of jobs," Cassidy said in a statement. |
| Landrieu seemed especially tense Wednesday before the announcement, with one exchange that played out in the Capitol basement hinting at her fraught relations with Democratic leadership. | Landrieu seemed especially tense Wednesday before the announcement, with one exchange that played out in the Capitol basement hinting at her fraught relations with Democratic leadership. |
| The Louisiana senator was spotted riding the escalator alone up from the Senate trains that carry lawmakers between their offices and the Capitol, toward a row of elevators. She was stone-faced and declined to answer questions from reporters. Once she reached the top level and stepped off, Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), one of the Democratic Party’s most influential campaign strategists, spotted her and walked quickly in her direction. | The Louisiana senator was spotted riding the escalator alone up from the Senate trains that carry lawmakers between their offices and the Capitol, toward a row of elevators. She was stone-faced and declined to answer questions from reporters. Once she reached the top level and stepped off, Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), one of the Democratic Party’s most influential campaign strategists, spotted her and walked quickly in her direction. |
| Schumer, smiling, asked Landrieu to step aside for a private conversation. She shook her head and moved briskly toward the elevator. As she did, she pointed to her phone, saying she had a call. Schumer paused for a moment as she moved away. His smile dropped and then he turned to follow her. “Mary, Mary,” he said, a few steps behind, asking her to speak with him. When she kept moving and ducked into an elevator, he hustled and jumped in to join her as the doors closed. | Schumer, smiling, asked Landrieu to step aside for a private conversation. She shook her head and moved briskly toward the elevator. As she did, she pointed to her phone, saying she had a call. Schumer paused for a moment as she moved away. His smile dropped and then he turned to follow her. “Mary, Mary,” he said, a few steps behind, asking her to speak with him. When she kept moving and ducked into an elevator, he hustled and jumped in to join her as the doors closed. |
| A few minutes later, Landrieu took to the Senate floor to vent her frustrations, and to try to shift the political winds in her direction. | A few minutes later, Landrieu took to the Senate floor to vent her frustrations, and to try to shift the political winds in her direction. |
| The sudden decision to hold votes means that both chambers could be racing on Thursday to authorize the pipeline first, allowing either Cassidy or Landrieu to rush home and take credit. | The sudden decision to hold votes means that both chambers could be racing on Thursday to authorize the pipeline first, allowing either Cassidy or Landrieu to rush home and take credit. |
| Throughout her campaign, Landrieu has touted her strong support for the Keystone pipeline and her chairmanship of the Senate Energy Committee as a major reason for Louisianans to reelect her. Now, even if she wins next month, Landrieu will lose her perch when Republicans take control the Senate next year. | Throughout her campaign, Landrieu has touted her strong support for the Keystone pipeline and her chairmanship of the Senate Energy Committee as a major reason for Louisianans to reelect her. Now, even if she wins next month, Landrieu will lose her perch when Republicans take control the Senate next year. |
| On Wednesday morning, Cassidy's official congressional office issued a statement saying that he will serve on the Senate's energy panel next year if he wins the Senate seat. | On Wednesday morning, Cassidy's official congressional office issued a statement saying that he will serve on the Senate's energy panel next year if he wins the Senate seat. |
| "Senator Landrieu may have talked the talk on energy but she never walked the walk," Cassidy said in his statement, adding that once he's in the Senate, "Louisiana will now have representation on this esteemed committee that's with them, not Barack Obama." | "Senator Landrieu may have talked the talk on energy but she never walked the walk," Cassidy said in his statement, adding that once he's in the Senate, "Louisiana will now have representation on this esteemed committee that's with them, not Barack Obama." |
| Construction of the pipeline has been delayed for several years as the Obama administration has conducted a prolonged review of the border-crossing pipeline to determine whether it is in the "national interest." President Obama has warned that the pipeline will only be approved if it "does not significantly exacerbate the problem of carbon pollution." | Construction of the pipeline has been delayed for several years as the Obama administration has conducted a prolonged review of the border-crossing pipeline to determine whether it is in the "national interest." President Obama has warned that the pipeline will only be approved if it "does not significantly exacerbate the problem of carbon pollution." |
| A State Department report issued earlier this year found that Keystone probably wouldn't increase global greenhouse gas emissions. | A State Department report issued earlier this year found that Keystone probably wouldn't increase global greenhouse gas emissions. |
| Robert Costa contributed to this report. | Robert Costa contributed to this report. |