Senate Democratic leaders are considering holding a vote to approve the Keystone pipeline in the lame-duck session before they hand over the majority to Republicans.
A senior Democratic aide said the idea was “under discussion, but a final outcome has not been determined.”
Part of the calculus may be to boost Sen. Mary Landrieu’s (D-LA) prospects for reelection in her tough runoff with Republican Bill Cassidy on December 6. Landrieu has repeatedly called for a vote on Keystone, but she has been attacked by Cassidy for failing to persuade Democrats to bring it up so far.
“Sen. Landrieu is leading the charge for it,” the Democratic aide, who requested anonymity to discuss the closed-door deliberations, said.
The news was first reported on Wednesday by Bloomberg.
Passage of legislation to approve the Keystone pipeline is increasingly seen as inevitable once Republicans take over the Senate and expand their majority in the House in January. The idea also has the support of numerous Democrats. The White House has not made a final determination on the pipeline.
This is exactly the stupid strategic thinking that cost them the majority. What boggles my mind is that they aren’t cranking through nominations. Republicans might not let any Obama nominees get confirmed, so why aren’t the Democrats confirming like crazy now?
Keystone XL is game over for the climate - James Hansen.
So they’ll rush this for a Blue Dog, but haven’t got the ‘time’ or balls to vote on and approve Loretta Lynch? God I despise these assholes.
Ohhh, we must not do anything to anger mr. Priebus, he might say something mean to us! Godamn
bunch of cowards!
I guess I’d rather see Landrieu defeated than have the Keystone pipeline approved. However, won’t the Senate just able to pass it anyway next year? So at this point, aren’t all our hopes pinned on Obama’s opposition to stop it?