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As the United States Congress moved closer to voting on the Keystone XL pipeline, President Barack Obama seemed increasingly isolated in his dislike of the Canadian project.
After years of bizarre regulatory delays, an out-of-nowhere court challenge in Nebraska and changing White House expectations, the push to line up votes in support of the Alberta-to-Texas pipeline is gaining momentum in Washington.
The House of Representatives was expected to start debating a bill to approve the US$8 billion project proposed by Calgary-based TransCanada Corp. on Thursday and hold a vote on Friday. The Senate is expected to hold a similar vote early next week, likely on Tuesday.
If Democratic Senators, led by Louisiana’s Mary Landrieu — yes, the instigators are people in President Obama’s own party — manage to line up 60 votes in support of KXL, the bill could be on President Obama’s desk for final approval by the end of next week.
Republicans have been long-time supporters of the project and have vowed to present legislation of their own in January, when they will take over control of both the House and the Senate thanks to their mid-term election wins last week.
But the White House has already broadcast that it takes “a dim view” of any proposal for Congressional approval of KXL and wants a State Department review to continue, suggesting President Obama is prepared to veto it.
Would he really?
It’s pretty clear legislators of all stripes are getting impatient with the President’s embarrassing treatment of KXL — a project of huge importance to Canada.
Support in the United States is growing, not diminishing, despite the best efforts of environmental activists to make it a symbol of climate destruction.
For the rest of this article, click here: http://business.financialpost.com/2014/11/13/obama-backed-into-keystone-corner-as-u-s-house-to-vote-on-pipeline-friday/?__lsa=1749-48e0