Landrieu Seeks 60th Vote on Keystone Approval

With a key Senate vote set for Tuesday night, supporters of the Keystone XL pipeline are scrambling for one more vote to move forward with a measure authorizing the oil transportation project.

The measure, aggressively backed by endangered Democrat Sen. Mary Landrieu, needs 60 votes to advance Tuesday evening. So far, 59 senators - including all Republicans - have publicly said they'll back the bill.

Landrieu pushed for the vote during the lame duck session of Congress after her re-election race in Louisiana advanced to a December 6 runoff. Because the Keystone project is popular in their home state, Landrieu and GOP challenger Rep. Bill Cassidy have jostled for credit for supporting the bill.

North Dakota Sen. John Hoeven of North Dakota, another chief backer of the bill, predicted Monday that 'we'll get there' by picking up several more supporters before the vote set for 6:15pm ET Tuesday.

But even if Landrieu and Hoeven muster enough votes to push the bill forward, it appears likely that President Barack Obama will veto the measure. Environmental activists have decried the impact of its construction. The Obama administration has said that it wants to wait for a full review of the project's effects - and it has been skeptical that the project would create the long-term job gains touted by the pipeline's backers.

Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine joked this week that, if the Senate does manage to move forward on Keystone approval, Obama will drag his feet on the veto process until after Louisiana's runoff election.

''I will make one prediction to you, this bill will take forever to make its way to the President's desk' she told reporters. 'I'm sure Thanksgiving will slow it down, probably a snowstorm or two. That's my prediction, that the verdict will not come until after December 6th, do you think?'

The House passed their version of the bill on Friday, 252-161-1, with 31 Democrats joining Republicans to pass it.

First published November 18 2014, 7:24 AM

Frank Thorp V

Frank Thorp V is a producer and off-air reporter covering Congress for NBC News. He started this role in June 2011. Thorp is responsible for managing coverage of the House of Representatives, and supports Capitol Hill correspondents Kelly O’Donnell and Luke Russert in their reporting on Congress. Previously, Thorp served as NBC News’ long-term presence in Haiti after a devastating earthquake hit that country in 2010. Thorp has also worked at CBS News. He studied psychology at West Virginia University, and lives in Alexandria, Va. with his wife and chocolate lab.

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