The Senate on Friday voted 62-37 to approve the proposed Keystone XL oil sands pipeline in an amendment to Senate budget.
John Henry HoevenDavis: The Hall of Shame for GOP senators who remain silent on Donald Trump Bottom line Bipartisan senators seek funding for pork producers forced to euthanize livestock MORE’s (R-N.D.) amendment was largely symbolic, but served as a clear statement that the Senate backs the pipeline."It puts the Senate on record in support of the Keystone pipeline project. And that's just appropriate," Hoeven said. "The Department of State has done four environmental impact statements over the last five years — four — and said there are no significant environmental impacts. And it's time that we in the Senate stepped up with the American people."
All Republicans voted in favor. The Democrats who supported the measure were Sens. Max Baucus
Max Sieben BaucusBottom line Bottom line The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Facebook - George Floyd's death sparks protests, National Guard activation MORE (Mont.), Mark Begich
Mark Peter BegichSullivan wins Alaska Senate GOP primary Alaska political mess has legislators divided over meeting place Former GOP chairman Royce joins lobbying shop MORE (Alaska), Michael Bennet
Michael Farrand BennetFive takeaways from final Senate Intel Russia report Trump backs bill to establish suffragist monument in DC Kamala Harris makes history — as a Westerner MORE (Colo.), Tom Carper
Thomas (Tom) Richard CarperTensions flare as senators grill postmaster general The Hill's 12:30 Report: Postmaster General attempts to calm mail-in voting fears Democratic senator swears on-air at Postal Service hearing: 'F---, f---, f---' MORE (Del.), Bob Casey
Robert (Bob) Patrick CaseyOvernight Health Care: VA problems raise worries about prescriptions during mail slowdown | School reopenings with COVID-19 offer preview of chaotic fall | Fauci undergoes surgery for vocal cord polyp Poll: Trump-Biden match-up within margin of error in Pennsylvania Senators open investigation into prescription delays through Postal Service MORE (Pa.), Chris Coons
Christopher (Chris) Andrew CoonsThe Hill's Convention Report: Biden's big night | Steve Bannon's fall | Pelosi weighs in on Mass. Senate primary Susan Rice says she is '100 percent' sure Russia will interfere in elections The Hill's Morning Report - Obama paints Trump as incapable leader; Harris accepts VP nod MORE (Del.), Joe Donnelly
Joseph (Joe) Simon DonnellyEx-Sen. Joe Donnelly endorses Biden Lobbying world 70 former senators propose bipartisan caucus for incumbents MORE (Ind.), Kay Hagan
Kay Ruthven HaganThe Hill's Campaign Report: Democratic Unity Taskforce unveils party platform recommendations Democrats awash with cash in battle for Senate The Hill's Campaign Report: Trump's job approval erodes among groups that powered his 2016 victory MORE (N.C.), Heidi Heitkamp
Mary (Heidi) Kathryn HeitkampCentrists, progressives rally around Harris pick for VP 70 former senators propose bipartisan caucus for incumbents Susan Collins set to play pivotal role in impeachment drama MORE (N.D.), Tim Johnson
Timothy (Tim) Peter JohnsonCornell to launch new bipartisan publication led by former Rep. Steve Israel Trump faces tough path to Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac overhaul Several hurt when truck runs into minimum wage protesters in Michigan MORE (S.D.), Mary Landrieu
Mary Loretta LandrieuBottom line A decade of making a difference: Senate Caucus on Foster Youth Congress needs to work to combat the poverty, abuse and neglect issues that children face MORE (La.), Joe Manchin
Joseph (Joe) ManchinSchumer on nixing the filibuster: 'Nothing is off the table' Schumer pledges 'bold and dramatic change' if Democrats win back Senate Battle looms over Biden health care plan if Democrats win big MORE (W. Va.), Claire McCaskill
Claire Conner McCaskillDemocratic-linked group runs ads in Kansas GOP Senate primary Trump mocked for low attendance at rally Missouri county issues travel advisory for Lake of the Ozarks after Memorial Day parties MORE (Mo.), Bill Nelson
Clarence (Bill) William Nelson Trump, facing trouble in Florida, goes all in NASA names DC headquarters after agency's first Black female engineer Mary W. Jackson NASA, SpaceX and the private-public partnership that caused the flight of the Crew Dragon MORE (Fla.), Mark Pryor
Mark Lunsford PryorCoronavirus poses risks for Trump in 2020 Tom Cotton's only Democratic rival quits race in Arkansas Medicaid rollback looms for GOP senators in 2020 MORE (Ark.), Jon Tester
Jonathan (Jon) TesterOvernight Energy: Green groups see legal flaws in Trump's Arctic drilling plan | 14 states sue Trump administration over gas transportation rule | Conservation groups push lawmakers for Pendley's removal Conservation groups push lawmakers for Pendley's removal Trump says he'll sign USPS funding if Democrats make concessions MORE (Mont.) and Mark Warner
Mark Robert WarnerHealth misinformation has been viewed nearly 4 billion times on Facebook over past year: study Overnight Defense: Trump rejects major cut to military health care | Senate report says Trump campaign's Russia contacts posed 'grave' threat Senate report describes closer ties between 2016 Trump campaign, Russia MORE (Va.).
The Senate Democrats’ budget plan is non-binding, and reconciliation with the GOP House version is unlikely.
Hoeven has proposed separate legislation that would bypass President Obama’s authority to decide the Canada-to-Texas pipeline's fate. The White House has the final say because the project crosses an international border.
While that bill sits in the hopper, Hoeven's budget amendment Friday kept up the drumbeat on Keystone.
GOP lawmakers have made much noise about the pipeline. In meetings with Obama last week, House and Senate Republicans pressed the president for a timeline on his decision — about which Obama was vague.
They, along with some unions and industry groups, say the pipeline would create jobs. They also tout the benefits of getting oil from Canada, an ally.
Obama has been noncommittal on Keystone. According to some Senate Republicans present at last week’s confab, the president said his decision would come by year’s end.
On top of that, the president told the GOP their claims about Keystone’s job creation prospects were exaggerated. He also suggested a good amount of the oil sands were destined for export.
To that end, the Senate rejected Sen. Barbara Boxer
Barbara Levy BoxerThe Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Facebook - Biden, Harris launch Trump offensive in first joint appearance Bottom line Polls show big bounce to Biden ahead of Super Tuesday MORE's (D-Calif.) amendment that called for conducting more studies on Keystone while its application remains pending.
That amendment, which fell 33-66, aimed to answer questions of how much of Keystone's oil is intended for overseas markets and how much of the pipeline's steel would come from U.S. firms, among other things.
"It's not true that all the work has been done. We don't know how much of the steel will be American. We don't how many of the jobs will be American. We don't know if our national security people think that dirty tar sands is going to create climate disruption," Boxer said after her amendment fell, before the Senate took up Hoeven's measure.
All Republicans voted against Boxer's proposal. The Democrats joining them were Baucus, Begich, Carper, Casey, Coons, Donnelly, Hagan, Heitkamp, Johnson, Landrieu, Manchin, McCaskill, Pryor and Sens. Sherrod Brown
Sherrod Campbell BrownOn The Money: Fed officials saw recovery slowing, virus threat growing | Trump urges boycott of Goodyear tires, prompts backlash | Analysis blames monopoly power for income inequality Sherrod Brown blasts Trump's 'despicable' call for Goodyear boycott What Trump's orders will and won't do for payroll taxes, unemployment benefits MORE (Ohio), William Cowan (Mass.), Tim Kaine
Timothy (Tim) Michael KaineSecond senator tests positive for coronavirus Overnight Defense: Trump announces 'snapback' of sanctions on Iran | Uniformed personnel at Dem convention under investigation | Netanyahu calls reported F-35 deal 'fake news' Biden, Harris grant first joint TV interview to ABC's Muir, Roberts MORE (Va.), Jeanne Shaheen
Cynthia (Jeanne) Jeanne ShaheenThe Hill's Coronavirus Report: GoDaddy CEO Aman Bhutani says DC policymakers need to do more to support ventures and 'solo-preneurs'; Federal unemployment benefits expire as coronavirus deal-making deadlocks Overnight Defense: Pompeo pressed on move to pull troops from Germany | Panel abruptly scraps confirmation hearing | Trump meets family of slain soldier Shaheen, Chabot call for action on new round of PPP loans MORE (N.H.), Mark Udall
Mark Emery UdallThe 10 Senate seats most likely to flip Democratic presidential race comes into sharp focus Democrats will win back the Senate majority in 2020, all thanks to President Trump MORE (Colo.), Tom Udall
Thomas (Tom) Stewart UdallInterior finalizes public lands agency HQ move out West over congressional objections Senate Democrats demand answers on migrant child trafficking during pandemic Democrats introduce bill to ban chlorpyrifos, other pesticides to protect farmworkers MORE (N.M.). Sen. Angus King
Angus KingUS trade deal with EU a boon for lobster industry struggling under China tariffs Schumer on nixing the filibuster: 'Nothing is off the table' Maine delegation fears Trump won't deliver on trade aid for lobster industry MORE (I-Maine) also voted against.
Green groups have claimed a bulk of Keystone's crude would head overseas. They also say the jobs numbers floated by the pipeline's supporters are far too high.
Environmentalists' main contention, though, is that Keystone would accelerate production of Canada’s oil sands, a carbon-intensive fossil fuel. They say processing and burning oil sands would devastate the climate.
They're urging Obama to nix the pipeline. They say green-lighting it would run counter to the president’s desire to combat climate change.
But Republicans also said Obama told them last week that environmentalists’ fears of Keystone’s impact on the climate were overblown.
That hews closely to a recent State Department draft environmental review.
That review dismissed greens' arguments that Keystone would ramp up oil sands development and significantly affect the climate.
Green groups are challenging the assessment, which is currently in the midst of a 45-day comment period.
— This story was updated at 6:45 p.m.
