BREAKING:Senate rejects move to fast-track Keystone

[one_voice]

The Senate on Thursday rejected an attempt to fast-track the Keystone XL pipeline — barely.

The White House and Democratic leadership squeaked out a 56-42 vote on an amendment to the Senate’s highway bill, winning only because 60 votes were needed for passage

President Barack Obama had personally lobbied Democrats with phone calls urging them to oppose the measure, as Republicans continue to push the pipeline as a job-creating project needed in these days of high gasoline prices.

Eleven Democratic senators crossed party lines to support the amendment: Max Baucus of Montana, Mark Begich of Alaska, Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, Kent Conrad of North Dakota, Kay Hagan of North Carolina, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Claire McCaskill of Missouri, Mark Pryor of Arkansas, Jon Tester of Montana, and Jim Webb of Virginia

No Republicans opposed the measure, but two senators — Mark Kirk of Illinois and John Thune of South Dakota were absent.

The amendment, proposed by Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.) would have approved the pipeline despite an undetermined final route through Nebraska, cutting out the State Department approval normally required for an international pipeline.

*snip*

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0312/73795.html#ixzz1oZ45DxDq

[Ziggystrange]

1. Start looking for replacements

"Eleven Democratic senators crossed party lines to support the amendment: Max Baucus of Montana, Mark Begich of Alaska, Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, Kent Conrad of North Dakota, Kay Hagan of North Carolina, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Claire McCaskill of Missouri, Mark Pryor of Arkansas, Jon Tester of Montana, and Jim Webb of Virginia "

[JDPriestly]

5. The usual sinners!

[ProfessionalLeftist]

2. Well, I see eleven "Democrats" we need to get rid of...

Max Baucus of Montana, Mark Begich of Alaska, Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, Kent Conrad of North Dakota, Kay Hagan of North Carolina, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Claire McCaskill of Missouri, Mark Pryor of Arkansas, Jon Tester of Montana, and Jim Webb of Virginia

[NRaleighLiberal]

6. Yup - the Usual Suspects.

[sadbear]

7. Realistically, we can only get rid of two of them

Webb and Casey. And Webb WILL be gone next year. Who's the Democrat running in Virginia?

[joeybee12]

10. I didn't know Claire and Webb were owned by the Krotch Bros...

Like the rest.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. Those eleven "Democrats" need to disappear from the Senate, and pronto.

They are traitors to their party, and to our country.

[Warpy]

11. Unless they've got credible opposition in the primaries, we're stuck with them

and the worst Democrat is still better than the best Republican overall, even though he might be worse than the few moderate Republicans on pet issues.

But yes, they're all firmly tucked into the vest pocket of one or both Koch brothers, the men who stand to profit most from this insane boondoggle.

If Canada wants a pipeline, let them build it across their own country.

[ProSense]

4. Roll call:

NAYs ---42
Akaka (D-HI)
Bennet (D-CO)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Blumenthal (D-CT)
Boxer (D-CA)
Brown (D-OH)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Cardin (D-MD)
Carper (D-DE)
Coons (D-DE)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Franken (D-MN)
Gillibrand (D-NY)
Harkin (D-IA)
Inouye (D-HI)
Johnson (D-SD)
Kerry (D-MA)
Klobuchar (D-MN)
Kohl (D-WI)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Lieberman (ID-CT)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Merkley (D-OR)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Murray (D-WA)
Nelson (D-FL)
Nelson (D-NE)
Reed (D-RI)
Reid (D-NV)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Sanders (I-VT)
Schumer (D-NY)
Shaheen (D-NH)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Udall (D-CO)
Udall (D-NM)
Warner (D-VA)
Whitehouse (D-RI)
Wyden (D-OR)

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=112&session=2&vote=00034

Text:

SA 1537. Mr. HOEVEN (for himself, Mr. Lugar, Mr. Vitter, Mr. McConnell, Mr. Johanns, and Mr. Hatch) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 1813, to reauthorize Federal-aid highway and highway safety construction programs, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

On page 469, after line 22, add the following:

SEC. __. APPROVAL OF KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE PROJECT.

(a) Approval of Cross-border Facilities.--

(1) IN GENERAL.--In accordance with section 8 of article 1 of the Constitution (delegating to Congress the power to regulate commerce with foreign nations), TransCanada Keystone Pipeline, L.P. is authorized to construct, connect, operate, and maintain pipeline facilities, subject to subsection (c), for the import of crude oil and other hydrocarbons at the United States-Canada Border at Phillips County, Montana, in accordance with the application filed with the Department of State on September 19, 2008 (as supplemented and amended).

(2) PERMIT.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no permit pursuant to Executive Order 13337 (3 U.S.C. 301 note) or any other similar Executive Order regulating construction, connection, operation, or maintenance of facilities at the borders of the United States, and no additional environmental impact statement, shall be required for TransCanada Keystone Pipeline, L.P. to construct, connect, operate, and maintain the facilities described in paragraph (1).

(b) Construction and Operation of Keystone XL Pipeline in United States.--

(1) IN GENERAL.--The final environmental impact statement issued by the Department of State on August 26, 2011, shall be considered to satisfy all requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and any other provision of law that requires Federal agency consultation or review with respect to the cross-border facilities described in subsection (a)(1) and the related facilities in the United States described in the application filed with the Department of State on September 19, 2008 (as supplemented and amended).

[sadbear]

8. Lieberman voted NAY

He's still good for something, huh?

[tularetom]

9. When the fucking thing ruptures and spills crude oil on a bazillion acres in Montana

I hope the people affected will remember that their two Senators voted for it and elect actual Democrats next time.

[blue neen]

12. Senator Casey has disappointed us twice in the past week.

First, he votes with Republicans on the Blunt contraception amendment, and now he votes with Republicans on the pipeline.

What's up with him?