Senate Democrats Plot To Impede GOP’s Keystone Pipeline Plans

Sens. John Hoeven (R-N.D.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) introduced legislation on Tuesday that would force the federal government to approve the pipeline, the first bill of the new Senate. The bill has 60 co-sponsors, including six Democrats, and its authors say they are confident they can get at least three other Democratic votes. That’s more than enough votes to approve the bill in the Senate, though it’s not enough to override an impending presidential veto.

But Senate Democrats who oppose the pipeline are trying to figure out what they can do to make it more difficult to pass the legislation -– or, if not, at least score a few points in the process.

“The first test of the 114th Congress is what kind of fight the Democratic caucus has in them,” said a Democratic aide, speaking on background in order to be able to talk more freely. “Do we want to simply hand over votes to [Majority Leader Mitch] McConnell for his agenda, or do we want to show that Democratic votes need to be earned?”

Those Democrats appear to be doing their best to make the Keystone vote difficult. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee had scheduled a hearing on the bill for Wednesday morning, and a markup of the bill for Thursday morning. But Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) objected to the hearing, noting on the Senate floor Tuesday that legislation providing for the structure of committees was not anticipated until the following day.

“I say to the Majority Leader we will continue this conversation in a positive manner in an effort to come up with a mutually agreeable approach to considering this legislation and others,” Durbin said, “but for that reason I must object.”