Keystone pipeline faces vote in Senate in highway bill

[Eugene]

Source: Chigago Tribune

Keystone pipeline faces vote in Senate in highway bill

Roberta Rampton and Jeff Mason Reuters

11:00 a.m. CST, March 8, 2012

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Senate could vote as early as Thursday on a plan to fast-track the Keystone XL crude oil pipeline, a bid that is unlikely to attract enough Democratic support to pass but will give its Republican supporters an opening to criticize President Barack Obama's energy policies.

Obama put the $7 billion project on hold pending further environmental review. Republicans argue the pipeline, which would ship oil from Canada and northern U.S. states to Texas, would create jobs and improve energy security at a time of surging gasoline prices.

The Republicans' Keystone amendment to a highway funding bill would need 60 votes to pass, meaning at least 13 Democrats would have to vote in favor of the measure for it to advance.

Some Democratic senators have spoken in support of TransCanada's pipeline in the past. Obama has called some Democratic senators to ensure they would vote against the Republican plan, a White House official said.

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Read more: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/sns-rt-us-usa-politics-transportationbre8270zp-20120308,0,7997410.story

[democrat_patriot]

1. "Republicans argue that..." what about the Dem argument?

"Republicans argue the pipeline, which would ship oil from Canada and northern U.S. states to Texas, would create jobs and improve energy security at a time of surging gasoline prices. "

"Dems argue that the oil is being shipped elsewhere anyway and will have zero benefit to Americans. Other than oily tasting drinking water."

[Lint Head]

2. What it will do is

pollute Canada and the northern U.S. states to Texas, create very few jobs and make energy less secure because of the vulnerability.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

3. Jobs and energy security (to the extent the pipeline would improve either) are great things

but not despoiling and/or severely damaging the environment is a good thing too. At the very least, the environment health of our land should be thoroughly reviewed. I know, of course, however, the Republicans REALLY don't care about such things. I guess no Republicans live in the areas that the pipeline might negatively affect?
Boy, talk about trying to cram stuff down our throats!