Posted on 06/18/2014 12:10:01 PM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee voted Wednesday to approve the Keystone XL pipeline, delivering a rebuke to President Obama.
All Republicans on the panel voted to clear the pipeline, joined by Chairwoman Mary Landrieu (La.) and Sen. Joe Manchin (W.Va.), two Democrats in energy-heavy states, in a 12-10 vote.
Proponents of the pipeline expressed frustration with Obama’s refusal to take action for more than five years on the final leg of Keystone, which is planned to run from Alberta’s oil sands to refineries on the United States Gulf Coast.
“I really wish we weren’t sitting here years after a decision should have been made by this administration,” said Sen. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), the committee’s top Republican. “When the administration delays or subverts the process, there is a role for Congress.”
“The reality is that if this project’s going to get approved, Congress is going to have to do it,” said Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.), one of the bill’s sponsors.
While strongly supportive of the bill, some Republicans though expressed concerns that their vote would have little effect on the pipeline’s fate.
“With all due respect, this vote seems more like a cheerleading exercise than a meaningful effort to get Keystone built,” Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) told Landrieu.
A previous bill sponsored by Hoeven has been on the Senate calendar since the beginning of May, but Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has yet to bring it up for a vote, Barrasso said.
“He won’t do it, because he opposes the pipeline,” he said. “The president opposes the pipeline. They’ve done everything in their power to stop it.”
Landrieu dismissed those remarks. “It’s very disappointing that you would direct your remarks at politics and not the policy before this committee,” she said.
She and Murkowski urged the bill’s proponents to pressure Reid to bring it to the floor.
Murkowski said she hoped supporters “will work with us to get Sen. Reid to take up this bill, take it up promptly, so that it can be fully considered in an open way.”
The House has previously voted to approve the pipeline, though the bill passed by the committee Wednesday differs slightly over environmental requirements and a possible court review.
The House would have to take up the Senate’s bill if it is passed, Landrieu said.
She also turned senators’ attention to the Baiji refinery in Iraq, the country’s biggest, following reports that it was captured by Islamic militants.
That refinery supplied about 350 million barrels of oil daily to the United States, out of the about 8.5 billion barrels the United States imports daily.
“It is clear that our current situation exposes us to the political instability of these regions,” Landrieu said.
That refinery supplied about 350 million barrels of oil daily to the United States, out of the about 8.5 billion barrels the United States imports daily.
I dare say that BILLION barrels a day number is off.
U.S.Energy Information (gov site): How much oil is consumed in the United States? " Only a relatively small amount of crude oil is directly consumed in the United States. Nearly all crude oil is refined into petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel fuel, heating oil, and jet fuel, which are then consumed. Liquids produced from natural gas processing are also consumed as petroleum products. Renewable biofuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel, can be used as a substitute for or an additive to refined petroleum products. EIA includes volumes of biofuels in data on total petroleum consumption.
In 2013, the United States consumed a total of 6.89 billion barrels of petroleum products, an average of 18.89 million barrels per day. This total includes about 0.32 billion barrels of biofuels.".......
These Donks beileve their vote will save their careers in Washington.
Wait till gasoline prices start skyrocketing becuase of the current Middle-East conflict.
Even Reid’s liberal constituents will change their minds about the pipeline. Some of them.
202-244-3542
Press 1 to speak to a staffer, 2 to leave a message on voicemail.
He is the Senate majority leader so I’d say we all have a right to call and demand this is put up for a vote.
So this is how it is, Harry’s boot on the right of citizens necks.. Pressing and stomping.. The life out a once proud nation.. Now dependent on Rat allies across the oceans
“Reid is just an errand boy for the first black p_Resident. “
An errand boy for a grocery clerk?
“So this is how it is, Harry’s boot on the right of citizens necks.. Pressing and stomping..”
When Republicans controlled the Senate, Democrats were able to force votes on issues of importance to them. Often they did it by rallying around a story and beating the drum on that story until the Republicans capitulated and allowed what was often an embarrassing vote.
Reid and Obama do not want to put Senate Democrats in a position of voting on this issue during an election year. If the matter went to vote, as many as 20 Democrat Senators might vote for the pipeline, giving the vote a very bipartisan flavor. This would be an extremely embarrassing loss for Obama and might force him to approve the pipeline this year when it is almost certain the delay is so he can reject it next year.
If the Republicans wanted to force a vote on the issue they could. McConnell could use every parliamentarian trick permitted by the Senate rules. The GOP leadership could conduct an effective public relations campaign to force the issue to the national stage. For example, McConnell and the leadership could stage a PR event on the steps of the Capitol. Bring out a “vote denied” clock reporting how many days Reid has failed to allow the issue to come to a vote. Then, every single day the Senate is in session the leadership comes out on the steps at the same time and make the point again. While this is going on, run a national advertising campaign using the clock symbol and reporting the number of days the vote has been denied. Get major talk radio hosts to report on the days at the beginning of their broadcasts. Run a petition on the internet for Americans to sign up demanding a vote. Have every Republican Congressman and Senator communicate with constituents and ask them to call and write demanding a vote. Organize a citizens march on Washington. Every time a GOP politician or consultant is speaking to a reporter he or she should demand an up or down vote on the pipeline. The media cannot squash a concerted and sustained effort through multiple traditional and new media channels.
Unfortunately the Republican Party has no concept of hard ball politics or how to mobilize people behind an issue. All of the community organizing skills reside in the Democrat Party. One more reason Republicans today accomplish nothing except further the opposition’s agenda whether they are in or out of power.
“When you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there” should be adopted as the slogan of the national Republican Party.
“So this is how it is, Harry’s boot on the right of citizens necks.. Pressing and stomping..”
When Republicans controlled the Senate, Democrats were able to force votes on issues of importance to them. Often they did it by rallying around a story and beating the drum on that story until the Republicans capitulated and allowed what was often an embarrassing vote.
Reid and Obama do not want to put Senate Democrats in a position of voting on this issue during an election year. If the matter went to vote, as many as 20 Democrat Senators might vote for the pipeline, giving the vote a very bipartisan flavor. This would be an extremely embarrassing loss for Obama and might force him to approve the pipeline this year when it is almost certain the delay is so he can reject it next year.
If the Republicans wanted to force a vote on the issue they could. McConnell could use every parliamentarian trick permitted by the Senate rules. The GOP leadership could conduct an effective public relations campaign to force the issue to the national stage. For example, McConnell and the leadership could stage a PR event on the steps of the Capitol. Bring out a “vote denied” clock reporting how many days Reid has failed to allow the issue to come to a vote. Then, every single day the Senate is in session the leadership comes out on the steps at the same time and make the point again. While this is going on, run a national advertising campaign using the clock symbol and reporting the number of days the vote has been denied. Get major talk radio hosts to report on the days at the beginning of their broadcasts. Run a petition on the internet for Americans to sign up demanding a vote. Have every Republican Congressman and Senator communicate with constituents and ask them to call and write demanding a vote. Organize a citizens march on Washington. Every time a GOP politician or consultant is speaking to a reporter he or she should demand an up or down vote on the pipeline. The media cannot squash a concerted and sustained effort through multiple traditional and new media channels.
Unfortunately the Republican Party has no concept of hard ball politics or how to mobilize people behind an issue. All of the community organizing skills reside in the Democrat Party. One more reason Republicans today accomplish nothing except further the opposition’s agenda whether they are in or out of power.
“When you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there” should be adopted as the slogan of the national Republican Party.
The Senate GOP leadership couldn’t get it done when they had the edge,, now they show as being even more incompetent than ever. The maturing of the good old boys club,, turning their own PR on those who put them where they are, trusting they weren’t gonna go Hollywood..
Boy we’re we sold a bill of goods.
Your ideas are great, but except for a very few, all we have are a bunch of lazy pocket liners, don't rock the boat, in it only for themselves senators.
McConnell leads the pack.
Except for Cruz, Lee, Inhofe and maybe 1 or 2 others, we ain't got nothing going for us in the senate.
Force Obama’s hand, Congress should not give him any authorization to use any military action in Iraq unless he approves the Keystone pipeline project.
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