WASHINGTON — A bill that would have forced approval of the Keystone XL pipeline failed Tuesday night to pass the U.S. Senate. It fell one vote shy of reaching the 60-vote threshold needed to overcome a filibuster.
The 59-41 tally included a split decision from Colorado’s two Democratic senators. As expected, Mark Udall voted against the bill and Michael Bennet voted for it. The fight over the pipeline has stalked both lawmakers in recent months.
In Udall’s case, Republicans repeatedly accused him of avoiding the issue during his losing re-election bid against Cory Gardner. he wanted outstanding reviews of the U.S.-Canada oil pipeline to finish before Congress took action.
Bennet, meanwhile, has taken heat from the left. His Washington office of peaceful protests today in opposition to the bill and his support of it.
Said Bennet spokesman Adam Bozzi in a statement after tonight’s vote: “We continue to hear intense advocacy from Coloradans on this issue.”
And while Bennet supports the pipeline, Bozzi added that the senator “would prefer that instead of focusing our political debate on a narrow issue … we develop a broad and comprehensive energy strategy to reduce carbon pollution and support renewable energy.”
