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| House Speaker Boehner Announced Approval of Keystone - On to the Senate |
The House on Friday voted, 266-153, to yank President Obama's authority over Keystone XL and approve the $8 billion pipeline, bringing the new GOP Congress ever closer to its first showdown with the White House.
Twenty-eight Democrats joined Republicans in supporting the legislation that would immediately permit construction of the Alberta-to-Texas heavy oil line, a major priority for industry, the GOP and the Canadian government.
The White House made clear on Friday that a Nebraska Supreme Court ruling upholding the pipeline's route through that state would not alter its threat to veto the legislation.
The Senate is set to take its first votes on the bill Monday, though its passage could be prolonged by what GOP leaders have said will be a freewheeling, open amendment process.
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