House Democrats want Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, to send legislation authorizing the Keystone XL oil pipeline through the committee process rather than introducing and voting on it on the floor.
Taking such a bill through “regular order,” as the Senate plans to do, would allow lawmakers to alter the bill during a markup and air other concerns before a vote. The bill is likely to pass, but Democrats hope that they can at least secure a rule allowing amendments to tack on some other measures and conditions.
“This past November, 61 new members of Congress were elected by the American people to represent their interests in the House. These new members, and in fact all members of the House, should have the opportunity to consider, debate and propose their own ideas on this legislation through committee hearings and markups, before it is scheduled for House floor consideration,” Reps. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., and Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz. — all of whom are ranking members of committees with jurisdiction over Keystone XL — said in a letter to Boehner.
A vote on legislation to approve the Canada-to-Gulf Coast project, which has been under federal review for six years, is likely to come in January. The Senate has scheduled a Jan. 7 committee hearing on a bill to approve the pipeline, and incoming Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said it will be the first vote of the new Congress.
The Kentucky Republican also has pledged to conduct an open amendment process, which has the potential to bog the bill down in controversial measures that might strip away some Democratic support. If it does pass, though, it’s not clear whether the Senate has 67 votes to override a potential veto from President Obama.
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif, has said he would stick to regular order as well. Passing the bill in the House with an open amendment process is much more likely than in the Senate, given the sizable cushion Republicans have in the lower chamber.
House Democrats said they at least want to discuss new topics that have come to light regarding the 1,200-mile pipeline.
One is that the Nebraska Supreme Court is still weighing whether the pipeline route that runs through that state is constitutional. A decision is expected in January.
The Democrats also said they want to debate how falling oil prices affect the need for the pipeline.
Prices have tumbled from above $100 per barrel in June to around $60, largely due to sapped demand and global oversupply from U.S. shale oil. Environmentalists have said that Keystone XL would be more necessary to bring oil sands to market at prices below $75 per barrel, which they say would undermine the State Department’s conclusion that the pipeline isn’t a linchpin for oil sands growth.
