On Thursday, the US Senate rejected a Republican-sponsored bill that would allow construction of the Keystone XL pipeline to begin immediately. The measure would have permitted the oil pipeline to bypass the Obama administration's objections to the current route. Approval the amendment came four votes short of the 60 required to pass. Only 11 Senate Democrats voted in favor of the measure, joining a unanimous vote from all Senate Republicans. President Obama most recently rejected a plan to expedite construction of the pipeline in January because of insufficient time to review its environmentally sensitive route.
The pipeline has been a divisive issue for an already divided US Congress, and while Republicans claim that the pipeline should be easily approved because of its job creation potential during the construction as well as pipe manufacturing process, and it will lessen the US' dependence on foreign oil, Democrats argue that more time is needed to make an informed decision and concerns over "public health, clean air and clean energy" remain at the forefront.