The incoming Senate majority leader is putting approval of the Keystone XL pipeline project first on his 2015 agenda.  

Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., on Tuesday told reporters that in looking ahead to the new year, a bill sponsored by Republican John Hoeven of North Dakota would lead off the floor schedule. “We’ll be starting next year with a job-creating bill that enjoys significant bipartisan support,” McConnell said of the pipeline legislation. “It will be open for amendment. We’ll hope that senators on both sides will offer energy-related amendments, but there will be no effort to try to … micromanage the amendment process.”  

The Senate voted after the November election on the Keystone measure, with the bill falling a vote short of 60 when brought forward by outgoing Energy and Natural Resources Chairwoman Mary L. Landrieu, D-La. Landrieu subsequently lost her re-election bid in Louisiana’s December runoff to Rep. Bill Cassidy.  

Related:

House Approves Keystone XL Pipeline … Again


Louisiana Runoff Results: Landrieu Loses