Summary
With that we’ll wrap up our live coverage of today’s senate vote. Here’s a summary of today’s events:
- Democratic Senator Mary Landrieu failed to push through the bill to approve the controversial Keystone XL pipeline. She missed out by a single vote, with 59 senators voting for the bill and 41 against it.
- The result is likely to have ramifications for Landrieu’s reelection prospects as she faces a runoff against Republican Bill Cassidy, who successfully navigated the bill through the House of Representatives last Friday.
- Incoming Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell has already indicated he plans to schedule another vote on the issue when the new Senate convenes.
- The vote was briefly interrupted by protestors and small groups staged sit-ins at two Democratic senators - Michael Bennet and Tom Carper - who indicated support (and eventually voted for) the bill.
Updated
Here is a list (courtesy of my colleagues Dan Roberts and Alex Koppelman) of all 14 the Democratic senators who voted for the bill today:
Mark Begich of Alaska
Michael Bennet of Colorado
Tom Carper of Delaware
Bob Casey of Pennsylvania
Joe Donnelly of Indiana
Kay Hagan of North Carolina
Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota
Mary Landrieu of Louisiana
Joe Manchin of West Virginia
Claire McCaskill of Missouri
Mark Pryor of Arkansas
Jon Tester of Montana
John Walsh of Montana
Mark Warner of Virginia
The bill was also backed by all 45 Republicans.
The fall out of this failure for Senator Landrieu will no doubt be speculated upon until her election runoff on 6 December.
In a sign of times to come, her opponent in that race, Republican Congressman Bill Cassidy, has just tweeted this reference to the fact he got the bill through the House of Representatives only last week:
Last week my #KXL bill passed House. Today Landrieu’s #KXL bill failed in the Senate. Louisiana deserves results! pic.twitter.com/yej4ocnoAj
— Bill Cassidy (@BillCassidy) November 19, 2014
Senator Mitch McConnell, incoming senate majority leader, has issued a statement following the vote. He states: “I look forward to passing the new Republican majority taking up and passing the Keystone jobs bill early in the new year”.
Here’s the statement in full:
Mitch McConnell statement on Keystone XL vote: “[D]emocrats once again stood in the way of a shovel-ready jobs..." pic.twitter.com/Cc8bLZQsnm
— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) November 18, 2014
The failed bill’s chief backer Senator Mary Landrieu has just sent a series of concession tweets in which she pledges to “continue fighting for my state until the day I leave”.
I fought to bring #KXL to a vote & I will continue fighting for my state until the day I leave.
— Mary Landrieu (@MaryLandrieu) November 18, 2014
This fight is worth having to bring the middle class greater job creation & economic opportunity. #KXL
— Mary Landrieu (@MaryLandrieu) November 18, 2014
Thank you to @Sen_JoeManchin & @SenatorHeitkamp for standing shoulder to shoulder with me, and we will continue fighting for #KXL.
— Mary Landrieu (@MaryLandrieu) November 18, 2014
"There is only joy in the fight for the middle class--and where I come from, we don't talk about quitting--we only go forward.” #KXL
— Mary Landrieu (@MaryLandrieu) November 18, 2014
It’s worth noting at this point that this vote does not mean the end for the Keystone XL project. The Obama administration could still approve the pipeline – it is widely expected that it will do so eventually. If it doesn’t, or if it doesn’t move fast enough for Republicans’ liking, incoming Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell has reportedly indicated that the next Senate (which will be controlled by the Republican party) will take up a bill on the subject:
McConnell says Senate will reconsider Keystone again "very early” in next Congress
— Igor Bobic (@igorbobic) November 18, 2014
Updated
Audio from inside the Senate appears to indicate a small protest broke out inside as the vote was called.
My colleague Dan Roberts is inside and saw what went on:
four protestors including one chanting what sounded like a native american war cry escorted from senate gallery as keystone falls 59 - 41
— Dan Roberts (@RobertsDan) November 18, 2014
Senate rejects the Keystone XL pipeline bill
41 ‘no’ votes in the senate means the bill will not pass. We’ll bring you the full count as soon as possible.
The outcome looks to be heading to a ‘no’ vote as Senator Dubin, heralded by some observers as the last chance of a wildcard, votes ‘no’:
Last “yes” wildcard on #KeystoneXL is a no vote. @SenatorDurbin just voted no.
— Andrew Freedman (@afreedma) November 18, 2014
Updated
In an indication of just how tight this vote will be, one of the potential swing voters Democratic Illinois Senator Dick Durbin reportedly won’t say how he’s voting as he walks up to cast his vote:
@SenatorDurbin still won't say which way he'll vote on #KeystoneXL as he walks up to chamber.
— Laura Barron-Lopez (@lbarronlopez) November 18, 2014
Voting has now begun in the Senate
As #KeystoneXL vote starts, Sens Landrieu and Heitkamp share a long hug on the Senate floor.
— Michael Crittenden (@CritterDJ) November 18, 2014
Updated
Senator Landrieu has just yielded the floor as the Senate is minutes away from voting. She closed by again arguing the pipeline will lead to energy independence in the US creating 40,000 jobs. She uses her last few seconds to thank a number of unions - naming them each individually - for backing the bill. These unions will also play a key role in Landrieu’s re-election in December.
In closing argument for #KeystoneXL pipeline in Senate debate, Landrieu thanks three Democratic colleagues who won't be around next year.
— Gerald F Seib (@GeraldFSeib) November 18, 2014
Updated
My colleague Dan Roberts in Washington has more on how today’s debate has highlighted that Landrieu’s reelection is central to why the vote is taking place today:
The extent to which tonight’s vote is about the political future of senator Mary Landrieu rather than the environment was laid bare in six hours of debate on the Senate floor.
The three-term veteran from Louisiana is the last surviving Democrat representing a state in deep South but faces an ignominious defeat next month in run-off elections against Republican challenger Bill Cassidy.
Landrieu’s need to demonstrate distance from the White House on a pipeline that has wide support among electors in this energy-rich state even brought her unlikely backing from California colleague Barbara Boxer, who is leading Democratic opposition to the bill on environmental and safety grounds.
Boxer clashed with Republican sponsor John Hoeven at the start of Tuesday’s debate over whether the bill should be named after him and Landrieu, or congressman Cassidy who has sponsored a similar version that passed the House of Representatives on Friday
“We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for senator Landrieu,” insisted an indignant Boxer, before going on to list two hours of reasons why allowing the pipeline would be an environmental disaster.
Landrieu and Hoeven both put a brave face on growing signs they had failed to persuade enough Democrats to join them in voting for the bill, insisting they could still get to 60 votes with more arm-twisting this afternoon.
“The is one of the first debates I have been in for eighteen years where the outcome is uncertain,” said Landrieu, who said she could still get there if supporters showed enough “courage”.
Democratic Senator Mary Landrieu, the bill’s chief backer ,has just finished addressing the Senate. She finished her speech with an rallying call: “This is America’s hour to become energy independent,” she said.
Let’s build a middle class again—and more importantly let’s listen & pay attention to them. Let’s approve #KeystoneXL today.
— Mary Landrieu (@MaryLandrieu) November 18, 2014
Immediately afterwards Democratic Senator for California Barbara Boxer takes to the floor. She starts by paying tribute to Landrieu, arguing that Landrieu has backed the bill for the people of Louisiana. But Boxer continues that she will oppose the legislation due to environmental ramifications.
Take it from a #KeystoneXL opponent: “Senator Landrieu is the only reason that we are debating this today.” -@BarbaraBoxer
— Mary Landrieu (@MaryLandrieu) November 18, 2014
As some have observed Boxer’s speech is a clear indication of why this vote is being held right now: Landrieu’s continuing re-election campaign.
C-SPAN is much-watch TV right now, with @SenatorBoxer making big push in #KeystoneXL speech for @MaryLandrieu's campaign
— Ernest Scheyder (@ErnestScheyder) November 18, 2014
Updated
Earlier on Tuesday two small groups of environmental protestors staged sit-ins at the Washington offices of two democratic senators, Michael Bennet and Tom Carper - who have indicated their support for the bill. Protest organisers told the Guardian a number were arrested by police.
Here are some images and short video from earlier:
Anti-Keystone protesters in Carper's office https://t.co/vFCe3Uv0pP
— daveweigel (@daveweigel) November 18, 2014
.@350 protesters singing "you can't eat money, you can't drink oil" in lobby Sen. Carper's office. (Corrected tweet) pic.twitter.com/lYitpafkKT
— Kate Sheppard (@kate_sheppard) November 18, 2014
This just happened in @SenBennetCO's office - #noKXL #KeystoneXL pic.twitter.com/7c2tzqYFkH
— Energy Action (@energyaction) November 18, 2014
These brave young people were just arrested: #noKXL #KeystoneXL @SenBennetCO pic.twitter.com/s3B4Ctc3rP
— Energy Action (@energyaction) November 18, 2014
My colleagues Dan Roberts and Paul Lewis have just filed this dispatch from Washington following a White House press briefing from earlier today.
The key question of whether President Obama will use his powers of veto should the bill pass the Senate was raised with a spokesman for the President. The reply remained non-committal, although few doubt the Obama would use his veto should the bill pass.
Here is Dan and Paul’s take:
If the Senate follows the House’s lead and passes the Keystone XL bill, the legislation will go to Barack Obama’s desk. If that happens, Obama is widely expected to veto the bill – but on Tuesday, the White House refused to commit either way when asked what he will do.
The White House has for weeks expressed annoyance with Congress seeking to force the president’s hand over Keystone. It points out that a much-delayed State Department review of the pipeline, which would transport crude oil across the US-Canada border, is the proper mechanism for determining whether the project is approved.
Previous pro-Keystone bills (the pipeline has been approved nine times in the Republican-controlled House) have prompted the White House to signal that Obama would veto. But this time around the White House has avoided formal discussion of Obama’s intentions.
Earlier Tuesday, Obama spokesman Josh Earnest was pressed on whether the White House was leaving the door open so could Obama “not veto” the bill. He responded:
“I don’t want to leave you with that impression. It certainly is a piece of legislation that the president doesn’t support because the president believes that this is something that should be determined through the State Department and the regular process that is in place to evaluate projects like this. But again, I’m not in a position to issue veto threats from here. But as you rightly point out, there are similar pieces of legislation that have been introduced in this Congress where the president’s senior advisors have recommended a veto.”
By refusing to take a definitive position now, and stressing the need to follow bureaucratic process, the president could be trying to retain a possible bargaining chip with Republicans.
It is also consistent with White House strategy to date, which has been to delay rather than outright oppose the pipeline, which many administration officials privately feel has been over-emphasised by environmental campaigners, and to which the administration may eventually have to give its blessing if only on energy security grounds.
Reporters in Washington are saying the vote is heading for a small delay and looking likely for 6pm EST.
#Keystone pipeline vote expected to start closer to 6 pm et now. Vote may be held open a bit due to Iran briefing for ldrs, key chairs
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) November 18, 2014
Earlier in the day I spoke to my colleague Suzanne Goldenberg about just what’s at stake in today’s vote.
She describes today’s ballot as a “piece of political theatre” that, even if the legislation passes, is “unlikely to answer prospects for the pipeline that much”.
The full audio of our conversation is below but here a few lines of Suzanne’s take:
On the the politics behind today’s vote:
The reason the vote is taking place in the Senate right now is to help the election prospects of one senator Mary Landrieu of Louisiana who is facing a tight run off race to win reelection to her seat. She is trying to show that even though she is a Democrat she is in a good position to represent the interests of an oil producing state like Louisiana and that she has clout in the senate.
On what the vote means for Obama’s relations with Congress:
Congress has been trying to push Barack Obama to hurry up and make a decision on this pipeline and the Republicans in Congress and quite a few conservative Democrats would like Obama to say yes as well. Obama doesn’t want a decision because it is such a controversial issue. It has become a litmus test for environmental groups on his commitment to climate change.
On why some Democrats look likely to rebel against the President:
Over past few days a number of Democratic senators who had been opposed to Keystone have come out and said they will vote yes on this vote. There are a number of reasons for that. Some simply want to help out a fellow Democrat trying to win reelection. Some say the project has dragged on for far too long. It’s been 6 years that Canada has been trying to build this pipeline.
The numbers are fluid. You never know until the moment of truth who’s going to vote which way, but it’s all very tense and dramatic.
Here’s the full audio:
Updated
Welcome to the Guardian’s live coverage of the Senate vote on the controversial Keystone XL pipeline. Here are the key issues at stake, and a roundup of today’s developments:
- The Senate will vote on a bill to approve the Keystone pipeline at about 6.15pm ET. The legislation passed the House of Representatives on Friday last week.
- The outcome is likely to come down to a single senator, as supporters of the bill scramble to secure the 60 votes needed to see it pass. Reports suggest that the bill’s chief backer, Louisiana Democrat Mary Landrieu, has the backing of 59 senators, including all 45 Republicans and 13 other Democrats. Landrieu has said she remains confident she will secure victory, but reports Tuesday suggest she will fall one short.
- Obama has not firmly committed to using his veto power should the legislation pass the Senate, but has indicated his strong opposition to the bill. Regardless of the outcome, the size of the expectde Democratic rebellion is a good reminder of the opposition the president could face on environmental questions in the future, a potential blow to the $3bn climate change fund announced at the G20 summit in Brisbane last week.
The Keystone XL pipeline would, if built, have the capacity to carry around 830,000 barrels of crude oil a day along a 1,179-mile long pipeline from Alberta to refineries on the Texan Gulf. Supporters say the pipeline would create tens of thousands of jobs, but that number is really only for the construction of the pipeline – once it is built, the pipeline would only add about 50 jobs to the US economy.
Opponents of the pipeline also warn that the effects of its building would be environmentally disastrous.
Updated
