Mr. Obama, Sign the Keystone XL Pipeline Bill

The US House of Representatives on Friday passed a bill to approve construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. The vote came just hours after a Nebraska court ruled in favor of the proposed route. The legislation now goes to the Senate, where it is expected to be approved. The White House has warned that President Obama would veto the legislation. Passage in the House fell largely along party lines, 266 to 153, with 28 Democrats joining nearly all Republicans in favor. Representative Justin Amash (R-Mich.) voted "present." That is short of the necessary two-thirds majority needed to override a veto. The vote marked the 10th time the House has voted to authorize the Keystone pipeline in the last four years, and the third time in six months. Senate Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the Senate would hold a cloture vote on Monday evening to end debate and proceed to a vote on the pipeline bill. The Senate legislation has 60 co-sponsors, which is the minimum needed for a filibuster-proof majority. Sponsors of the bill say an additional three Democrats have indicated support for the legislation, bringing votes in favor of the $8 billion oil sands project to 63. But that still falls below the necessary 67 votes for a veto-proof majority. McConnell said he expects the Senate to pass the legislation and wants it to be the first to be sent to Obama's desk by the 114th Congress. Republicans have control of both the Senate and House for the first time since 2006. Nebraska's Supreme Court narrowed Obama's options for explaining his opposition to the pipeline by reversing a lower court ruling, and thus upholding a 2012 law giving authority to the governor to approve Keystone's route through the state. The decision handed down on Friday morning clears a key hurdle for the Canada-to-Texas project. Republicans have argued that saying they were waiting for the ruling was simply an excuse for the Obama administration to avoid the pipeline. "The administration has said that [the pending case in Nebraska] was the major hurdle. It has fallen. So I hope the President is not going to establish another hurdle, that being himself," said Pennsylvania GOP Representative Bill Shuster, House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee chairman. But Democrats dismissed GOP claims the pipeline would create American jobs, arguing it would pose environmental risks and primarily help a Canadian energy company. "We take risk to our lands, the American people face threats to their health, and TransCanada gets to reap the rewards. That's not a winning formula for our country or the economy," said Arizona Democrat Representative Raúl Grijalva. Both sides are urging the President to immediately restart Keystone's ongoing permit review process at the State Department, and make a decision on the pipeline's fate. The administration pushed back on Friday, arguing for delay because, in its view, more time is needed. Eric Schultz, a spokesman for the White House, said Friday : "Regardless of the Nebraska ruling today, the House bill still conflicts with longstanding executive branch procedures…and if presented to the President, he will veto the bill." ~~~~~ Dear readers, the controversy over the Keystone XL pipeline is proof that Obama's format for politics is not honest debate but pure partisan propaganda that leads to the detriment of business, American workers and even common sense. The truth is that the Keystone XL pipeline will improve and secure the environmental outlook for the US -- with over half a million miles of pipeline already in place, failing to replace that aging pipeline infrastructure only means more oil flowing via crumbling pipelines - some 50 years old - and forces dangerous rail cars, like the one that killed dozens in Quebec in 2013, to continue to haul petroleum above ground through populated areas. Enough is enough, Mr. President. Approve the pipeline and let America get on with its business of improving and providing for its future.