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| GOP-controlled House votes to approve Keystone pipeline. Bill moves to Senate. | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| For four years, Republicans in Congress have been accused of obstructing President Obama’s agenda. Now, with both the House and Senate under their control, GOP leaders are ready to turn the tables. | For four years, Republicans in Congress have been accused of obstructing President Obama’s agenda. Now, with both the House and Senate under their control, GOP leaders are ready to turn the tables. |
| Over the next few months, congressional leaders plan to approve a steady stream of legislation that has the support of at least a few Democrats but is opposed by the White House. Obama will be forced either to sign these “bipartisan” bills – including several that would begin to dismantle his Affordable Care Act -- or to dust off the veto pen he has used only twice in six years. | |
| The test case for this strategy has broad appeal among both Democratic lawmakers and the general public: approval of the long-delayed Keystone XL oil pipeline. | |
| Obama has already threatened to veto the Keystone bill, along with two others. Still, the House voted 266 to 153 Friday to approve the measure. It now goes to the Senate, where Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) plans to stage a lengthy, high-profile debate likely to stretch through Obama’s State of the Union address Jan. 20. | |
| Both parties are girding for a rhetorical battle that could have far-reaching political implications. Democrats, for instance, plan to offer an amendment by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) that would force Republicans to go on record either acknowledging or denying that climate change “is real” and “is caused by human activities.” | Both parties are girding for a rhetorical battle that could have far-reaching political implications. Democrats, for instance, plan to offer an amendment by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) that would force Republicans to go on record either acknowledging or denying that climate change “is real” and “is caused by human activities.” |
| They will also seek to force Canadian oil companies using the pipeline to pay into a federal oil-spill trust fund, a change Republicans are willing to include in the final bill, House Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.) said Friday. | |
| Senate Republicans, meanwhile, plan to focus on Keystone’s potential to create jobs and foster American energy independence. | |
| “We’re going to put this bill on the president’s desk. And he’s going to have to make a decision whether to side with jobs and the economy or whether to side with environmental extremists,” said Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), a member of Senate GOP leadership. | |
| Republicans have little hope of altering the bill in ways that could win Obama’s approval. And they admit they are unlikely to persuade four additional Democrats to join the nine who support the bill, which is what it would take to override a veto. | |
| “Keystone is like a dead horse, and we’re continuing to beat it,” said Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), who opposes the measure on grounds that fossil fuel use is warming the planet, melting polar ice, raising sea levels and drowning south Florida. | “Keystone is like a dead horse, and we’re continuing to beat it,” said Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), who opposes the measure on grounds that fossil fuel use is warming the planet, melting polar ice, raising sea levels and drowning south Florida. |
| But actually enacting the legislation is not the primary goal of GOP leaders determined to establish themselves as a centrist, governing majority. | But actually enacting the legislation is not the primary goal of GOP leaders determined to establish themselves as a centrist, governing majority. |
| “If we can’t override the veto,” Rep. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) told Fox News, “I think it’s pretty clear to the public and everybody else that the president is the obstructionist, not the Congress.” | “If we can’t override the veto,” Rep. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) told Fox News, “I think it’s pretty clear to the public and everybody else that the president is the obstructionist, not the Congress.” |
| Hours before Friday’s vote, the Nebraska Supreme Court torpedoed one of Obama’s prime reasons for opposing the measure. The court upheld a Nebraska law that gave Republican Gov. Dave Heineman authority to approve the pipeline’s route through the state, overturning a lower court ruling. The White House has repeatedly cited the pending case as cause for Congress to wait. | Hours before Friday’s vote, the Nebraska Supreme Court torpedoed one of Obama’s prime reasons for opposing the measure. The court upheld a Nebraska law that gave Republican Gov. Dave Heineman authority to approve the pipeline’s route through the state, overturning a lower court ruling. The White House has repeatedly cited the pending case as cause for Congress to wait. |
| If approved, the bill would end a federal review process that has dragged on for six years and permit the Calgary-based oil company, TransCanada, to build the Keystone XL, a steel pipeline that would carry as much as 830,000 barrels a day of oil sands crude from the fields in Alberta to refineries in Texas. | If approved, the bill would end a federal review process that has dragged on for six years and permit the Calgary-based oil company, TransCanada, to build the Keystone XL, a steel pipeline that would carry as much as 830,000 barrels a day of oil sands crude from the fields in Alberta to refineries in Texas. |
| The pipeline would equal just 1 percent of the nation’s existing web of oil pipelines. But over the years, it has become a potent symbol for both environmentalists and oil-industry champions, drawing exaggerated claims from both sides. | The pipeline would equal just 1 percent of the nation’s existing web of oil pipelines. But over the years, it has become a potent symbol for both environmentalists and oil-industry champions, drawing exaggerated claims from both sides. |
| One key point of contention has been whether the pipeline would carry Canadian crude oil across the United States, only to have it exported to foreign markets. Obama has raised this concern, as have others who have accused Canada of trying to pass along environmental risks it is unwilling to shoulder at home. | One key point of contention has been whether the pipeline would carry Canadian crude oil across the United States, only to have it exported to foreign markets. Obama has raised this concern, as have others who have accused Canada of trying to pass along environmental risks it is unwilling to shoulder at home. |
| “America is bearing the risk of carrying Canada’s dirty oil to a world market,” Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), the senior Democrat on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said Thursday during a committee meeting where Democrat Joe Manchin (W.Va.) joined Republicans in approving the bill, 13 to 9. | “America is bearing the risk of carrying Canada’s dirty oil to a world market,” Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), the senior Democrat on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said Thursday during a committee meeting where Democrat Joe Manchin (W.Va.) joined Republicans in approving the bill, 13 to 9. |
| In fact, TransCanada is looking to the United States because it is the world’s largest and nearest oil market and because the tar-like crude from the Alberta oil sands cannot be processed at most refineries. Gulf coast refineries in Texas are uniquely well-equipped to do the job. | In fact, TransCanada is looking to the United States because it is the world’s largest and nearest oil market and because the tar-like crude from the Alberta oil sands cannot be processed at most refineries. Gulf coast refineries in Texas are uniquely well-equipped to do the job. |
| So far, Canadian oil sands crude processed in Texas has pushed out imports from Venezuela and Mexico. A large portion of the refined product – mostly gasoline and diesel fuel – is in turn exported to Europe and Latin America. | So far, Canadian oil sands crude processed in Texas has pushed out imports from Venezuela and Mexico. A large portion of the refined product – mostly gasoline and diesel fuel – is in turn exported to Europe and Latin America. |
| Many foes of the pipeline have also argued that the project could fall victim to plummeting oil prices. However, because pipeline transit is cheaper than railroads, oil producers in Alberta are still committed to the project. TransCanada officials say the pipeline offers a better alternative to rail no matter how low oil prices fall. | Many foes of the pipeline have also argued that the project could fall victim to plummeting oil prices. However, because pipeline transit is cheaper than railroads, oil producers in Alberta are still committed to the project. TransCanada officials say the pipeline offers a better alternative to rail no matter how low oil prices fall. |
| Brad Bellows, director of external communications of MEG Energy, a producer of Canadian oil sands, said it costs “north of $15 a barrel” and takes two weeks to ship crude from the oil sands to the gulf coast by rail. Pipeline charges are a fraction of that amount. | Brad Bellows, director of external communications of MEG Energy, a producer of Canadian oil sands, said it costs “north of $15 a barrel” and takes two weeks to ship crude from the oil sands to the gulf coast by rail. Pipeline charges are a fraction of that amount. |
| “Pipelines are certainly the most economic and best option,” said Bellows, whose company has not purchased space in Keystone XL. | “Pipelines are certainly the most economic and best option,” said Bellows, whose company has not purchased space in Keystone XL. |
| As for concerns about global warming, the State Department has said construction of the Keystone XL is irrelevant: Without the pipeline, oil producers would continue to use rail, further increasing carbon emissions. | As for concerns about global warming, the State Department has said construction of the Keystone XL is irrelevant: Without the pipeline, oil producers would continue to use rail, further increasing carbon emissions. |
| Then there are the claims about jobs. Republicans point endlessly to a State Department estimate that the project would create 42,000 jobs. But those positions would not be permanent; the State Department report actually refers to 42,000 “job years.” | Then there are the claims about jobs. Republicans point endlessly to a State Department estimate that the project would create 42,000 jobs. But those positions would not be permanent; the State Department report actually refers to 42,000 “job years.” |
| That translates to 1,950 people working in each of the two years needed to build the pipeline, and another 13,000 people working over those two years to supply goods and services. Once the project is completed, ongoing operations would require just 35 permanent employees and 15 temporary contractors. | That translates to 1,950 people working in each of the two years needed to build the pipeline, and another 13,000 people working over those two years to supply goods and services. Once the project is completed, ongoing operations would require just 35 permanent employees and 15 temporary contractors. |
| When Senate debate begins next week, the jobs claim will rank high among Democratic targets. In an internal memo, Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) invited other ideas for creating “a clear contrast with the Republican majority” and to demonstrate “that we are working hard to make the average American family better off while Republicans are helping narrow special interests.” | When Senate debate begins next week, the jobs claim will rank high among Democratic targets. In an internal memo, Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) invited other ideas for creating “a clear contrast with the Republican majority” and to demonstrate “that we are working hard to make the average American family better off while Republicans are helping narrow special interests.” |
| Republicans, meanwhile, are putting their faith in the pipeline’s popular appeal: Roughly two-thirds of those polled have consistently voiced support for the project. And they are eagerly anticipating the opportunity to cry obstruction and hypocrisy when Obama vetoes what amounts to a bipartisan infrastructure bill -- a veto likely to come close on the heels of an address to Congress in which Obama begs lawmakers to send him bipartisan infrastructure bills. | Republicans, meanwhile, are putting their faith in the pipeline’s popular appeal: Roughly two-thirds of those polled have consistently voiced support for the project. And they are eagerly anticipating the opportunity to cry obstruction and hypocrisy when Obama vetoes what amounts to a bipartisan infrastructure bill -- a veto likely to come close on the heels of an address to Congress in which Obama begs lawmakers to send him bipartisan infrastructure bills. |
| “For a president who said he’d like to see more bipartisan cooperation,” McConnell said of Keystone Thursday on the Senate floor, “this, my colleagues, is a perfect opportunity.” | “For a president who said he’d like to see more bipartisan cooperation,” McConnell said of Keystone Thursday on the Senate floor, “this, my colleagues, is a perfect opportunity.” |