What is Senate Bill S. 147?
Cost of Senate Bill S. 147
Of Note: The Keystone XL project has been stalled since 2008,
when TransCanada first filed an application for the pipeline. The State
Department, which has to approve projects that cross the U.S. border,
is still determining whether or not to grant a permit to the company.
Republicans and Democrats have repeatedly
tried to pass legislation to get the pipeline up and running with no
luck. Of course, even with support from both chambers, President Obama would still have
to sign off on any bill related to Keystone.
The stakes in this fight are high for both sides. Environmentalists worry that approval of the project will effectively endorse the continued extraction of bitumen (otherwise known as oil sands or tar sands) in Canada, which has devastated the local environment and contributed to global warming. For TransCanada, which controls the world’s only landlocked oil reserve, the Keystone XL pipeline is their best bet for reaching an international market. For many members of Congress, the pipeline represents a potential source of jobs and income for their constituents, as well as a source of energy security.
On November 11, 2015 President Obama announced that his administration would not allow the Keystone XL pipeline to proceed, saying it would "undercut global leadership" on climate policy.
(Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons user Hillebrand, Steve)
Keystone XL Pipeline Approval Act
An original bill to approve the Keystone XL Pipeline.
- Not enactedThe President has not signed this bill
- The house has not voted
- The senate has not voted
Committee on Energy and Natural ResourcesIntroducedJanuary 12th, 2015
- senate Committees