Senate Fails to Approve Keystone XL Pipeline

Press Release

Today, Congressman Bill Cassidy (R-LA) expressed extreme disappointment that the Senate failed to approve legislation to authorize building the Keystone XL pipeline.

If approved in the Senate, the Cassidy Keystone bill, H.R. 5682, would have been sent to the President. It passed the House of Representatives last week by a vote of 252 to 161.

It has been more than six years since the Keystone XL pipeline's application was first submitted to the U.S. State Department. The House has passed legislation nine times to authorize building the pipeline. Today was the first time the Senate considered Keystone legislation to build the pipeline on the Senate floor.

Dr. Cassidy released the following statement:

"If there was ever legislation that should be enthusiastically approved by President Obama and his supporters in the Senate, it should be the Keystone XL pipeline. I introduced, and the House of Representatives passed the Cassidy Keystone bill to make it as easy as possible for the Senate to get a bill to the President's desk. The Senate should have approved it today--it should have approved it six years ago.

"Louisiana families need better jobs, better wages and better benefits. This can be achieved by supporting projects like Keystone that come from using North America's natural resources. The President must listen to the American people who desire better jobs and stop opposing energy development opportunities that create these jobs."

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