As of this writing — 3:14 p.m. on the east coast (happy π minute!) — Louisiana Democrat Mary Landrieu stands on the Senate floor for the first time in weeks to implore her Senate colleagues to listen to the American people and pass a piece of legislation she really needs to help save her political career. The bill, for which Landrieu has been the leading Democratic champion, would approve construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, a project that would extend from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast and transport an additional 830,000 barrels of oil per day to U.S. refineries. (To this point, the decision to permit the project has rested with President Obama. It has been napping on the couch for years.)
Landrieu, whose 2014 Senate race is the only one yet to be determined pending a runoff with her Republican challenger next month, is getting a hand from her party colleagues in this effort. Her clout is that she’s chairman of the Senate Energy Committee. To pass this Keystone XL measure would be a bipartisan victory, since she’s among a minority of Democrats in her chamber to support it.
“I didn’t come here to see my name in lights,” Landrieu said Wednesday, saying she simply wanted to create jobs for her state and country, didn’t care that hers wasn’t the first name attached to the bill (North Dakota Senator John Hoeven’s (R) is) — and frankly didn’t care whose name was on it.
Famous last words?
I think Mary Landrieu just endorsed the Cassidy bill to approve the Keystone pipeline.
— Rory Cooper (@rorycooper) November 12, 2014
Rep. Bill Cassidy is Landrieu’s opponent next month. He also has Keystone XL legislation.
The House Thursday will vote on a bill to approve the Keystone XL pipeline, in an attempt to force the Senate to take up the legislation. The bill will be sponsored by Rep. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who faces Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) in a Dec. 6 runoff.
The decision comes one day after Senate Democrats signaled they might vote on Democratic language approving the pipeline to help boost Landrieu.
So in this race between the House and the Senate to approve construction of the Keystone XL project, it is feasible that the House could force a bill sponsored by Landrieu’s opponent onto the Senate, putting her in the position of fulfilling her pledge to see the pipeline through by … voting for her Senate challenger’s bill. She doesn’t seem to mind. She’s passing the bill off as hers.
We just got great news: House has introduced Hoeven-Landrieu #KXL bill & will vote tomorrow. #Hallelujah!
— Mary Landrieu (@MaryLandrieu) November 12, 2014
November 4 may have come and gone, but election season continues.
