Keystone Pipeline Vote Fails First Test in US Senate
Hirono and Schatz of Hawaii were among the senators who mounted a successful filibuster.
The U.S. Senate’s first vote to cut off debate on its Keystone XL pipeline legislation failed Monday night on a 53-39 vote.
That’s because, as The Hill reports, “Democrats mounted their first successful filibuster of the new Congress.”
Sixty votes were need to invoke cloture and thus limit debate.
The Hill explained, “That means Republicans who had hoped to pass a Keystone bill this week are now preparing for even longer debate over the pipeline. Republicans immediately continued their series of votes on the pipeline Monday night.”
Republicans believe Keystone will create jobs but Democrats question whether the project would be that significant. The legislation also comes as oil prices have dropped drastically.
A controversial pipeline.
Flickr: shannonpatrick17
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) had tried to end debate on a bill that would take away President Barack Obama’s authority over Keystone late Thursday, “sparking the ire of Democrats who accused him of prematurely cutting off debate.”
On Monday, Hawaii Sens. Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz were among those voting to block McConnell.
Schatz tweeted out his reaction to the Keystone legislation:
For me, and for many Americans, a vote against #KeystoneXL is a vote to preserve and protect the air we breathe and the water we drink.
— Brian Schatz (@brianschatz) January 26, 2015
Anyone who looks at the facts and does the math should oppose this bill and oppose construction of the #KeystoneXL pipeline.
— Brian Schatz (@brianschatz) January 26, 2015
