Congressional Roll Call Votes on the Keystone
XL Pipeline
Lynn J. Cunningham
Information Research Specialist
Beth Cook
Information Research Specialist
January 22February 5, 2015
Congressional Research Service
7-5700
www.crs.gov
R43870
Congressional Votes on the Keystone XL Pipeline
Summary
TransCanada’s proposed Keystone XL Pipeline would transport oil sands crude from Canada and
shale oil produced in North Dakota and Montana to a market hub in Nebraska for further delivery
to Gulf Coast refineries. The pipeline would consist of 875 miles of 36-inch pipe with the
capacity to transport 830,000 barrels per day.
The Congressional Research Service (CRS) receives frequent requests for congressional votes
taken on Keystone XL Pipeline legislation. This report provides roll call vote data on Keystone
XL Pipeline legislation identified by CRS using CQ.com’s Roll Call Vote Report database as well
as the Congress.gov legislative database.
Roll call votes listed in the tables are broken down by chamber, Congress, and type of
legislation—substantive votes (i.e., votes on amendments or passage of bills) versus procedural
votes (e.g., votes to recommit the bill to a committee or to provide for the consideration of a bill).
Votes are also listed in chronological order for each Congress.
This report will be updated as events warrant.
Congressional Research Service
Congressional Votes on the Keystone XL Pipeline
Contents
Introduction...................................................................................................................................... 1
House Roll Call Votes: 112th Congress-Present ............................................................................... 1
Senate Roll Call Votes: 112th Congress-Present............................................................................. 10
Tables
Table 1. House Roll Call Votes on Keystone XL Pipeline-112th Congress ...................................... 1
Table 2. Procedural House Roll Call Votes on Keystone XL Pipeline-112th Congress.................... 4
Table 3. House Roll Call Votes on Keystone XL Pipeline – 113th Congress ................................... 5
Table 4. Procedural House Roll Call Votes on Keystone XL Pipeline-113th Congress.................... 8
Table 5. House Roll Call Votes on Keystone XL Pipeline-114th Congress ...................................... 9
Table 6. Procedural House Roll Call Votes on Keystone XL Pipeline-114th Congress.................... 9
Table 7. Senate Record Votes on Keystone XL Pipeline-112th Congress ...................................... 10
Table 8. Senate Record Votes on Keystone XL Pipeline-113th Congress ...................................... 11
Table 9. Procedural Senate Record Votes on Keystone XL Pipeline-114th Congress ...................................... 12
Table 10. Procedural Senate Record Votes on Keystone XL Pipeline-114th Congress .................. 22 12
Contacts
Author Contact Information........................................................................................................... 1224
Congressional Research Service
Congressional Votes on the Keystone XL Pipeline
Introduction
TransCanada’s proposed Keystone XL Pipeline would transport oil sands crude from Canada and
shale oil produced in North Dakota and Montana to a market hub in Nebraska for further delivery
to Gulf Coast refineries. The pipeline would consist of 875 miles of 36-inch pipe with the
capacity to transport 830,000 barrels per day.1
The Congressional Research Service (CRS) receives frequent requests for congressional votes
taken on Keystone XL Pipeline legislation. This report provides roll call vote data on Keystone
XL Pipeline legislation identified by CRS using CQ.com’s Roll Call Vote Report database as well
as the Congress.gov legislative database.
Roll call votes listed in the following tables are broken down by chamber, Congress, and type of
legislation—substantive votes (i.e., votes on amendments or passage of bills) versus procedural
votes (e.g., votes to recommit the bill to a committee or to provide for the consideration of a bill).
Votes are also listed in chronological order for each Congress.
House Roll Call Votes: 112th Congress-Present
According to both CQ.com and Congress.gov, the House of Representatives first introduced
Keystone XL Pipeline legislation in the 112th Congress. The first recorded votes in the House also
took place in that Congress.
Table 1. House Roll Call Votes on Keystone XL Pipeline—-112th Congress
Bill/Amendment No.
Vote Summary
House Roll
Call Vote
No.
H.Amdt. 720 to H.R.
1938
Amendment sought to add language describing
an environmental finding, which states that the
Keystone XL Pipeline would run through the
Ogallala Aquifer and which would explain the
risks involved with the proposed route.
Roll no. 640
H.Amdt. 721 to H.R.
1938
Amendment sought to strike paragraph 15 of
the findings section, which says that analysis
using EPA models shows that the Keystone XL
Pipeline will result in no significant change in
total United States or global greenhouse gas
emissions.
Roll no. 641
Vote Results/Date
(yeas-nays)
Failed (164-260)
7/26/2011
Failed (164-261)
7/26/2011
1
For more information about the Keystone XL Pipeline, see CRS Report R43787, Keystone XL Pipeline: Overview and
Recent Developments, by Paul W. Parfomak et al.
Congressional Research Service
1
Congressional Votes on the Keystone XL Pipeline
Bill/Amendment No.
Vote Summary
House Roll
Call Vote
No.
H.Amdt. 722 to H.R.
1938
Amendment sought to include a finding stating
that the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety
Administration (PHMSA) Administrator testified
at a congressional hearing and said that PHMSA
had not done a study analyzing the risks
associated with transporting diluted bitumen.
The amendment also sought to require PHMSA
to complete a review of the risks associated
with transporting diluted bitumen, and whether
current pipeline regulations are sufficient.
Roll no. 642
H.Amdt. 724 to H.R.
1938
Amendment sought to strike language in the
findings section of the bill describing the
pipeline’s safety standards and replace it with
language declaring that another pipeline
operated by the applicant has leaked more than
a dozen times in the United States and 21 times
in Canada in less than one year of operation.
Roll no. 643
H.Amdt. 725 to H.R.
1938
Amendment sought to strike language in the
findings section of the bill declaring that
increased Canadian exports of oil to China
would increase U.S. reliance on oil from other
foreign sources, especially the Middle East. The
amendment would replace it with language that
would highlight conclusions by Canadian oil
consultants saying the pipeline would allow
crude oil from the Canadian tar-sands to be
exported to other countries, particularly China.
Roll no. 644
H.Amdt. 726 to H.R.
1938
Amendment sought to allow for 120 days after
the final environmental impact statement or no
later than January 1, 2012, for the President to
issue a final decision on the Keystone XL
Pipeline.
Roll no. 645
H.Amdt. 727 to H.R.
1938
Amendment sought to allow a Presidential
permit approving the pipeline to be issued only
if the applicant has received a certification from
the Energy Secretary and the Pipeline and
Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
stating that the applicant is prepared to respond
to a “worst-case oil spill scenario."
Roll no. 646
H.Amdt. 728 to H.R.
1938
Amendment sought to require a study on the
health impacts of increased air pollution in
communities surrounding the refineries that will
process oil transported through the proposed
Keystone XL Pipeline before any approval of the
pipeline could be granted.
Roll no. 647
H.Amdt. 730 to H.R.
1938
Amendment sought to block the President from
issuing or denying a permit for the pipeline until
the Energy Secretary, in consultation with the
Federal Trade Commission, certified that
permitting of the pipeline would not lead to
manipulation of the U.S. oil market.
Roll. no. 648
Congressional Research Service
Vote Results/Date
(yeas-nays)
Failed (163-264)
7/26/2011
Failed (155-272)
7/26/2011
Failed (152-275)
7/26/2011
Failed (161-265)
7/26/2011
Failed (168-260)
7/26/2011
Failed (163-263)
7/26/2011
Failed (164-261)
7/26/2011
2
Congressional Votes on the Keystone XL Pipeline
Bill/Amendment No.
H.R. 1938
Vote Summary
House Roll
Call Vote
No.
Passage of the bill that would require the
Administration to make a permitting decision on
the Keystone XL Pipeline within 30 days after
the final environmental impact statement is
issued or by Nov. 1, whichever is earlier. It
would direct the President, working through the
Energy Secretary, to coordinate with federal
agencies to make sure necessary review stages
are expedited.
Roll no. 650
In part, the bill would require the President to
approve the Keystone XL Pipeline permit
application within 60 days of the bill’s enactment
unless it is determined that the pipeline is not in
the national interest.
Roll no. 923
In part, the resolution expresses the sense of
the House that that any final measure to extend
the payroll tax holiday, extend federally funded
unemployment insurance benefits, or prevent
decreases in reimbursement for physicians who
provide care to Medicare beneficiaries should
include final approval of the Keystone XL oil
pipeline.
Roll no. 949
H.Amdt. 932 to H.R.
3408
Amendment sought to require the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission to review the
results of the PHMSA study, as required by the
bipartisan pipeline safety bill (P.L. 112-90),
before issuing a permit for the Keystone XL
Pipeline.
Roll no. 55
H.Amdt. 933 to H.R.
3408
Amendment sought to ensure that if the
Keystone XL Pipeline is built, the oil that it
transports to the Gulf of Mexico and the fuels
made from that oil remain in this country for
use in domestic commerce. The amendment
allows the President to waive this requirement if
it can be shown that an export of the oil or
fuels will not increase U.S. dependence on oil or
fuels the U.S. buys from hostile nations; that
prices for refiners and consumers will not go up
if the export occurs; or if an export is needed
to comply with any international treaties or
other U.S. agreements have to export oil or
fuels.
Roll no. 56
H.Amdt. 934 to H.R.
3408
Amendment sought to prohibit the issuance of a
permit absent conditions that restrict the ability
of the permit recipient from initiating or
threatening to initiate proceedings to invoke the
power of eminent domain against the will of a
property’s owner for the purposes of
constructing or operating the Keystone XL
Pipeline.
Roll no. 57
H.R. 3630
H.Res. 501
Congressional Research Service
Vote Results/Date
(yeas-nays)
Passed (279-147)
7/26/2011
Passed (234-193)
12/13/2011
Passed (226-185)
12/20/2011
Failed (173-249)
2/15/2012
Failed (173-254)
2/15/2012
Failed (149-276)
2/15/2012
3
Congressional Votes on the Keystone XL Pipeline
Bill/Amendment No.
Vote Summary
House Roll
Call Vote
No.
H.Amdt. 935 to H.R.
3408
Amendment sought to require that a permit for
the Keystone XL Pipeline is not to be issued or
deemed issued unless the permit applicant can
certify and provide adequate documentation to
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
that at least 75% of the iron and steel to be
used in domestic portion of the pipeline is
produced in North America.
Roll no. 58
H.R. 3408
Passage of the bill would, in part, provide for
approval of the 1,700-mile Keystone XL Pipeline
and shift permitting authority for the project
from the State Department to the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission.
Roll no. 71
Passage of the bill to extend the authorization
for surface transportation programs would, in
part, transfer authority to approve the Keystone
XL pipeline project from the State Department
to the FERC, which would be required to issue
the permit within 30 days of receiving an
application.
Roll no. 170
H.R. 4348
Vote Results/Date
(yeas-nays)
Failed (193-234)
2/15/2012)
Passed (237-187)
2/16/2012
Passed (293-127)
4/18/2012
Source: Congress.gov; CQ.com’s Roll Call Vote Report database.
Table 2. Procedural House Roll Call Votes on Keystone XL Pipeline—-112th Congress
Bill/Amendment No.
H.Res. 370
H.R. 1938
H.R. 3630
Vote Summary
House Roll
Call Vote
No.
Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R.
1938) to direct the President to expedite the
consideration and approval of the construction
and operation of the Keystone XL oil pipeline,
and for other purposes.
Roll no. 637
Motion to recommit the bill to the Energy and
Commerce Committee with instructions that it
be reported back immediately with an
amendment that would direct the President to
ensure federal agencies take any feasible step to
prevent an increase in gas prices and limit
seizures of American farm and ranch land. It
also would add language to the findings section
of the bill declaring that the applicant has
threatened to condemn the land of farmers and
ranchers along the pipeline route and has
projected that the pipeline will increase oil
prices.
Roll no. 649
Motion to disagree with the Senate
amendments and request a conference on a bill
(H.R. 3630) that would, in part, require the
President to approve the Keystone XL oil
pipeline within 60 days of the bill’s enactment
unless he certifies that doing so is not in the
national interest.
Roll no. 946
Congressional Research Service
Vote Results/Date
(yeas-nays)
Passed (246-171)
7/26/2011
Failed (181-248)
7/26/2011
Passed (229-193)
12/20/2011
4
Congressional Votes on the Keystone XL Pipeline
Bill/Amendment No.
H.R. 4348
Vote Summary
Motion to instruct House conferees to insist on
House-passed provisions that would transfer
authority to approve the Keystone XL Pipeline
project from the State Department to FERC,
and provide that if FERC does not approve the
pipeline within 30 days that it be deemed
approved.
House Roll
Call Vote
No.
Roll no. 292
Vote Results/Date
(yeas-nays)
Passed (261-152)
5/18/2012
Source: Congress.gov; CQ.com’s Roll Call Vote Report database.
Table 3. House Roll Call Votes on Keystone XL Pipeline— – 113th Congress
Bill/Amendment No.
H.Amdt. 66 to H.R. 3
H.Amdt. 67 to H.R. 3
H.Amdt. 68 to H.R. 3
H.Amdt. 69 to H.R. 3
H.Amdt. 70 to H.R. 3
Vote Summary
House Roll
Call Vote
No.
Amendment sought to add language to the
findings section of the bill regarding the impact
of the Keystone XL Pipeline on the
development of crude oil, the projected
increase in greenhouse gases, the impact to land
and water resources, an assessment of the spill
risk, and the projected safety of the pipeline.
Roll no. 169
Amendment sought to add a finding that the
reliance on oil sands crudes for transportation
fuels would likely result in an increase in
incremental greenhouse gas emissions in the
United States equivalent to approximately that
of 4.3 million passenger vehicles. The
amendment also sought to provide that the bill
would not go into effect unless the President
found that TransCanada or oil sands producers
could fully offset the additional greenhouse gas
emissions produced annually.
Roll no. 170
Amendment sought to prohibit final approval
and construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline
until a study of the health impacts of increased
air pollution in communities surrounding the
refineries has been completed.
Roll no. 171
Amendment sought to require that the Pipeline
and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration,
in consultation with the Department of
Homeland Security, conduct a study of the
vulnerabilities of the Keystone XL Pipeline to a
terrorist attack and certify that necessary
protections have been put in place.
Roll no. 172
Amendment sought to strike Section 3 of the
bill (Keystone XL Permit Approval), which
states that the Keystone XL Pipeline does not
require a permit to cross the international
border between Canada and the United States.
Roll no. 173
Congressional Research Service
Vote Results/Date
(yeas-nays)
Passed (246-168)
5/22/2013
Failed (146-269)
5/22/2013
Failed (177-239)
5/22/2013
Failed (176-239)
5/22/2013
Failed (177-238)
5/22/2013
5
Congressional Votes on the Keystone XL Pipeline
Bill/Amendment No.
H.Amdt. 71 to H.R. 3
H.Amdt. 72 to H.R. 3
H.Amdt. 73 to H.R. 3
H.Amdt. 75 to H.R. 3
H.R. 3
Vote Summary
House Roll
Call Vote
No.
Amendment sought to remove the mandate to
allow one specifically named company
[TransCanada] to never receive appropriate
oversight through the permit process for
operation and/or maintenance—in perpetuity,
while allowing construction permit fast-track.
Roll no. 174
Amendment sought to lengthen the time period
for a person to file a claim against pipeline
operators from 60 days to one year.
Roll no. 175
Amendment sought to require the Government
Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a study
and prepare a report of the Keystone XL
Pipeline to determine the total projected costs
of pipeline spill cleanup, including the potential
impacts of a petroleum spill on public health and
the environment and the quantity and quality of
water available for agricultural and municipal
purposes.
Roll. no. 176
Amendment sought to require that all oil and
refined fuels transported through the Keystone
XL Pipeline be used in the United States and not
exported, unless the President finds that an
exception is required by law or in the national
interest.
Roll no. 177
Passage of the bill sought to declare that a
Presidential permit is not required for approval
of the Keystone XL Pipeline’s northern route
from the Canadian border through Nebraska.
Under the bill, environmental impact statements
issued to date would be considered sufficient to
satisfy all requirements of the National
Environmental Policy Act and the National
Historic Preservation Act, and the Interior
Department, and the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers would be deemed to have granted all
the necessary permits. It would grant the U.S.
Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia
exclusive jurisdiction regarding pipeline legal
disputes. Claims would have to be brought
within 60 days of the action that gives rise to
the claim. As amended it would require
TransCanada to submit its oil spill response plan
and any updates to the governors of each state
where the pipeline operates.
Roll no. 179
Congressional Research Service
Vote Results/Date
(yeas-nays)
Failed (182-234)
5/22/2013
Failed (182-234)
5/22/2013
Failed (185-231)
5/22/2103
Failed (162-255)
5/22/2013
Passed (241-175)
5/22/2013
6
Congressional Votes on the Keystone XL Pipeline
Bill/Amendment No.
H.R. 2
H.R. 5682
Vote Summary
House Roll
Call Vote
No.
Passage of the bill that would allow for
construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline and
require that more federal lands and offshore
areas be made available each year for oil and gas
leasing. It also would streamline the process for
approving drilling permits and limit the
Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA's)
ability to regulate greenhouse gas emissions
from fossil-fueled power plants under the Clean
Air Act. It would prohibit the EPA from
finalizing energy-related regulations estimated to
cost more than $1 billion if the Energy
Department determines that the regulations will
cause significant adverse effects to the economy.
It would block federal rules related to hydraulic
fracturing for natural gas and set statutory
deadlines for FERC and other federal agencies
to act when considering certification or permits
for the construction or expansion of natural gas
pipelines. It also would require the Energy
Department to expedite decisions on
applications to export liquefied natural gas and
establish a new system for the approval and
permitting of oil and gas pipelines and electrical
transmission lines that cross the U.S. border
into Canada and Mexico.
Roll no. 515
Passage of the bill sought to immediately allow
TransCanada to construct, connect, operate,
and maintain the pipeline and cross-border
facilities known as the Keystone XL Pipeline,
including any revision to the pipeline route
within Nebraska as required or authorized by
the state. It also would consider the January
2014 environmental impact statement issued by
the State Department sufficient to satisfy all
requirements of the National Environmental
Policy Act and the Endangered Species Act. It
also would grant the U.S. Court of Appeals for
the District of Columbia exclusive jurisdiction
regarding legal disputes over the pipeline or the
constitutionality of the bill.
Roll No. 519
Vote Results/Date
(yeas-nays)
Passed (226-191)
9/18/2014
Passed (252-161)
11/14/2014
Source: Congress.gov; CQ.com’s Roll Call Vote Report database.
Congressional Research Service
7
Congressional Votes on the Keystone XL Pipeline
Table 4. Procedural House Roll Call Votes on Keystone XL Pipeline—-113th Congress
Bill/Amendment No.
H.Res. 228
H.Res. 228
H.R. 3
H.Res. 748
H.R. 5682
Vote Summary
House Roll
Call Vote
No.
Motion to order the previous question (thus
ending debate and the possibility of amendment)
on the rule (H.Res. 228) that would provide for
House floor consideration of the bill (H.R. 3)
that would declare a Presidential permit is not
required for approval of the Keystone XL
Pipeline’s northern route from the Canadian
border through Nebraska.
Roll no. 167
Adoption of the rule (H.Res. 228) that would
provide for House floor consideration of the bill
(H.R. 3) that would declare a Presidential permit
is not required for approval of the Keystone XL
Pipeline’s northern route from the Canadian
border through Nebraska.
Roll no. 168
Motion to recommit the bill to the House
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
and report it back immediately with an
amendment that would require TransCanada to
pay for cleanup of oil spills on U.S. soil.
Roll no.178
Adoption of the rule (H.Res. 748) that sought
to provide for House floor consideration of a
bill (H.R. 5682) to immediately allow
TransCanada to construct, connect, operate,
and maintain the pipeline and cross-border
facilities known as the Keystone XL Pipeline,
including any revision to the pipeline route
within Nebraska as required or authorized by
the state. It also would consider sufficient the
January 2014 environmental impact statement
issued by the State Department to satisfy all
requirements of the National Environmental
Policy Act and the Endangered Species Act. It
also would grant the U.S. Court of Appeals for
the District of Columbia exclusive jurisdiction
regarding legal disputes over the pipeline or the
constitutionality of this bill.
Roll no. 517
Motion to recommit the bill to the House
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
and report it back immediately with an
amendment that would require that oil
transported by the TransCanada Keystone
Pipeline be considered crude oil for the
purposes of determining its contributions to the
Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund.
Roll no. 518
Vote Results/Date
(yeas-nays)
Passed (223-194)
5/22/2013
Passed (228-185)
5/22/2013
Failed (194-223)
5/22/2013
Passed (233-185)
11/13/2014
Failed (192-224)
11/14/2014
Source: Congress.gov; CQ.com’s Roll Call Vote Report database.
Congressional Research Service
8
Congressional Votes on the Keystone XL Pipeline
Table 5. House Roll Call Votes on Keystone XL Pipeline—-114th Congress
Bill/Amendment No.
H.R. 3
Vote Summary
Passage of the bill sought to immediately allow
TransCanada to construct, connect, operate,
and maintain the pipeline and cross-border
facilities known as the Keystone XL Pipeline,
including any revision to the pipeline route
within Nebraska as required or authorized by
the state. It also would consider the January
2014 environmental impact statement issued by
the State Department sufficient to satisfy all
requirements of the National Environmental
Policy Act and the Endangered Species Act. It
also would grant the U.S. Court of Appeals for
the District of Columbia exclusive jurisdiction
regarding legal disputes over the pipeline or the
constitutionality of the bill.
House Roll
Call Vote
No.
Roll no. 16
Vote Results/Date
(yeas-nays)
Passed (266-153)
1/9/2015
Source: Congress.gov; CQ.com’s Roll Call Vote Report database.
Table 6. Procedural House Roll Call Votes on Keystone XL Pipeline—-114th Congress
Bill/Amendment No.
H.Res. 19
H.Res. 19
H.R. 3
Vote Summary
House Roll
Call Vote
No.
Motion to order the previous question (thus
ending debate and possibility of amendment) on
the rule (H.Res. 19) that would provide for
House floor consideration on the bill (H.R. 3)
that would allow for the construction of the
cross-border Keystone XL Pipeline.
Roll no. 11
Adoption of the rule (H.Res. 19) that would
provide for House floor consideration of the bill
(H.R. 3) that would allow for the construction
of the cross-border Keystone XL Pipeline.
Roll no. 12
Motion to recommit the bill to the House
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
and report it back immediately with an
amendment that would require TransCanada
Keystone Pipeline, L.P., to certify to the
president that diluted bitumen and other
materials derived from oil sands transported
through the Keystone XL Pipeline will be
treated as crude oil for the purposes of
determining contributions for the Oil Spill
Liability Trust Fund.
Roll no. 15
Vote Results/Date
(yeas-nays)
Passed (240-180)
1/8/2015
Passed (244-181)
1/8/2015
Failed (180-237)
1/9/2015
Source: Congress.gov; CQ.com’s Roll Call Vote Report database.
Congressional Research Service
9
Congressional Votes on the Keystone XL Pipeline
Senate Roll Call Votes: 112th Congress-Present
Similar to the House of Representatives, both CQ.com and Congress.gov indicate that the Senate
first introduced Keystone XL Pipeline legislation during the 112th Congress. The chamber’s first
recorded votes on Keystone XL took place in that Congress as well.
Table 7. Senate Record Votes on Keystone XL Pipeline—-112th Congress
Bill/Amendment No.
Vote Summary
S.Amdt. 1537 to S. 1813
Amendment sought to provide for approval of
the Keystone XL Pipeline between Canada and
the United States. It would require that the
route for the pipeline in Nebraska be submitted
by the state of Nebraska. It also would provide
for certain environmental protections.
Senate
Record
Vote No.
Vote no. 34
Vote Results/Date
(yeas-nays)
Failed (56-42)
3/8/2012
Note: By unanimous consent, the Senate agreed
to raise the majority requirement for adoption
of the amendment to 60 votes.
S.Amdt. 1817 to S. 1813
Amendment sought to prohibit the export of
crude oil transported by the Keystone XL
Pipeline and related facilities unless the
prohibition is waived by the president, and
require the use of U.S. iron, steel, and
manufactured goods in the construction of the
pipeline, with certain exceptions.
Vote no. 33
Failed (33-65)
3/8/2012
Note: By unanimous consent, the Senate agreed
to raise the majority requirement for adoption
of the amendment to 60 votes.
S.Amdt. 1826 to S. 1813
Amendment sought to extend energy tax credit
programs, excluding the production credit and
the stimulus grant program that expired in
2011. It also would approve the Keystone XL
Pipeline and expand oil and gas drilling in new
areas, including the Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge in Alaska. Provisions would be partially
offset by extending the federal employee pay
freeze through 2013.
Vote no. 38
Failed (41-57)
3/13/2012
Note: By unanimous consent, the Senate agreed
to raise the majority requirement for adoption
of the amendment to 60 votes
Source: Congress.gov; CQ.com’s Roll Call Vote Report database.
Congressional Research Service
10
Congressional Votes on the Keystone XL Pipeline
Table 8. Senate Record Votes on Keystone XL Pipeline—-113th Congress
Bill/Amendment No.
Vote Summary
Senate
Record
Vote No.
S.Amdt. 622 to
S.Con.Res. 8
Amendment sought to create a deficit-neutral
reserve fund to allow for legislation to provide
for an analysis of the impact of approving the
Keystone XL Pipeline, including whether it
would raise oil prices, harm domestic energy
security, use material not manufactured in the
United States, or adversely affect individual
property rights, job creation, or national
security.
Vote no. 60
S.Amdt. 494 to
S.Con.Res. 8
Amendment sought to create a deficit-neutral
reserve fund to allow for legislation that would
provide for the approval and construction of the
Keystone XL Pipeline as long as the legislation’s
costs are offset without raising revenue.
Vote no. 61
S. 2280
Passage of the bill would immediately allow
TransCanada to construct, connect, operate,
and maintain the pipeline and cross-border
facilities known as the Keystone XL Pipeline,
including any revision to the pipeline route
within Nebraska as required or authorized by
the state. The 2014 environmental impact
statement issued by the State Department
would be declared sufficient to satisfy all
requirements for review under the National
Environmental Policy Act and the Endangered
Species Act. It would grant the U.S. Court of
Appeals for the District of Columbia exclusive
jurisdiction regarding legal disputes over the
pipeline or the constitutionality of the bill.
Vote no. 280
Vote Results/Date
(yeas-nays)
Failed (33-66)
3/22/21013
Passed (62-37)
3/22/2013
Failed (59-41)
11/18/2014
Note: By unanimous consent, the Senate agreed
to raise the majority requirement for passage of
the bill to 60 votes.
Source: Congress.gov; CQ.com’s Roll Call Vote Report database.
Congressional Research Service
11
Congressional Votes on the Keystone XL Pipeline
Table 9. Senate Record Votes on Keystone XL Pipeline-114th Congress
Bill/Amendment No.
S.Amdt.3 to S.1
S.Amdt.33 to S.1
Vote Summary
Senate
Record
Vote No.
Amendment no. 3 to the substitute amendment
no. 2. Amendment no. 3 would direct the
General Services Administration to establish
best practices regarding energy-efficiency in
commercial real estate buildings, including those
that house federal agencies. It would require the
GSA to incorporate energy-efficiency standards
into its building leasing program for federal
agencies. It also would establish a Tenant Star
program to recognize energy-efficient tenants in
commercial spaces. The substitute amendment
would immediately allow TransCanada to
construct, connect, operate and maintain the
pipeline and cross-border facilities known as the
Keystone XL Pipeline.
Vote no. 6
Amendment no. 33 to the substitute
amendment no. 2. Amendment no. 33 would
cap legal fees on Endangered Species Act
lawsuits. It would apply existing federal judicial
standards in awarding costs to prevailing parties.
The substitute amendment would immediately
allow TransCanada to construct, connect,
operate and maintain the pipeline and crossborder facilities known as the Keystone XL
Pipeline.
Vote no. 7
Vote Results/Date
(yeas-nays)
Passed (94-5)
1/20/2015
Failed (54-45)
1/21/2015
Note: By unanimous consent, the Senate agreed
to raise the majority requirement for adoption
of the amendment to 60 votes.
S. Amdt.69 to S.1
Amendment no. 69 to the substitute
amendment no. 2. Amendment no. 69 would
bar the underlying measure from taking effect
until the EPA, in consultation with the
Transportation Department, establishes
guidelines on the storage and transportation of
petroleum coke relating to the protection of
the public health and environment. It also would
remove exemptions for petroleum coke, a
byproduct of the oil refining process, under the
1980 Superfund law. The substitute amendment
would immediately allow TransCanada to
construct, connect, operate and maintain the
pipeline and cross-border facilities known as the
Keystone XL Pipeline.
Vote no. 8
Failed (41-58)
1/21/2015
Note: By unanimous consent, the Senate agreed
to raise the majority requirement for adoption
of the amendment to 60 votes.
Congressional Research Service
12
Congressional Votes on the Keystone XL Pipeline
Bill/Amendment No.
S.Amdt.41 to S.1
Vote Summary
Amendment no. 41 to the substitute
amendment no. 2. Amendment no. 41 would
exempt power plants that burn coal waste from
an EPA rule on general emission limitations
issued in August, 2011 or any subsequent rule
on the matter. The substitute amendment
would immediately allow TransCanada to
construct, connect, operate and maintain the
pipeline and cross-border facilities known as the
Keystone XL Pipeline.
Senate
Record
Vote No.
Vote no. 9
Vote Results/Date
(yeas-nays)
Failed (54-45)
1/21/2015
Note: By unanimous consent, the Senate agreed
to raise the majority requirement for adoption
of the amendment to 60 votes.
S.Amdt.29 to S.1
Amendment no. 29 to the substitute
amendment no. 2. Amendment no. 29 would
express the sense of the Senate that climate
change is real. The substitute amendment would
immediately allow TransCanada to construct,
connect, operate and maintain the pipeline and
cross-border facilities known as the Keystone
XL Pipeline.
Vote no. 10
Passed (98-1)
1/21/2015
Note: By unanimous consent, the Senate agreed
to raise the majority requirement for adoption
of the amendment to 60 votes.
S.Amdt.87 to S.1
Amendment no. 87 to the substitute
amendment no. 2. Amendment no. 87, as
modified, would express the sense of the Senate
that climate change is real and insert findings
that the construction of the Keystone XL
Pipeline would not have a significant impact on
the environment. The substitute amendment
would immediately allow TransCanada to
construct, connect, operate and maintain the
pipeline and cross-border facilities known as the
Keystone XL Pipeline.
Vote no.11
Failed (59-40)
1/21/2015
Note: By unanimous consent, the Senate agreed
to raise the majority requirement for adoption
of the amendment to 60 votes.
S.Amdt.58 to S.1
Amendment no. 58 to the substitute
amendment no. 2. Amendment no. 58 would
express the sense of the Senate that climate
change is real and that human activity
significantly contributes to it. The substitute
amendment would immediately allow
TransCanada to construct, connect, operate
and maintain the pipeline and cross-border
facilities known as the Keystone XL Pipeline.
Vote no. 12
Failed (50-49)
1/21/2015
Note: By unanimous consent, the Senate agreed
to raise the majority requirement for adoption
of the amendment to 60 votes.
Congressional Research Service
13
Congressional Votes on the Keystone XL Pipeline
Bill/Amendment No.
S.Amdt.113 to S.1
Vote Summary
Amendment no. 113 to the substitute
amendment no. 2. Amendment no. 113 would
express the sense of Congress that public land
designations economically benefit local and
regional communities. It would also express that
designations of federally protected land should
continue where appropriate and with
consultation by local communities, elected
leaders and stakeholders. The substitute
amendment would immediately allow
TransCanada to construct, connect, operate
and maintain the pipeline and cross-border
facilities known as the Keystone XL Pipeline.
Senate
Record
Vote No.
Vote no. 13
Vote Results/Date
(yeas-nays)
Failed (55-44)
1/22/2015
Note: By unanimous consent, the Senate agreed
to raise the majority requirement for adoption
of the amendment to 60 votes.
S.Amdt.18 to S.1
Amendment no. 18, as modified, to the
substitute amendment no. 2. Amendment no. 18
would limit the designation of new federally
protected land. It would require the Interior
secretary to consider whether the new
protected land would have a negative impact on
the administration of existing protected lands
and that sufficient management resources are
available. The amendment would not apply to
congressionally-designated protected land or
land acquisitions authorized by Congress. The
substitute amendment would immediately allow
TransCanada to construct, connect, operate
and maintain the pipeline and cross-border
facilities known as the Keystone XL Pipeline.
Vote no.14
Failed (54-45)
1/22/2015
Note: By unanimous consent, the Senate agreed
to raise the majority requirement for adoption
of the amendment to 60 votes.
Congressional Research Service
14
Congressional Votes on the Keystone XL Pipeline
Bill/Amendment No.
S.Amdt.71 to S.1
Vote Summary
Amendment no. 71 to the substitute
amendment no. 2. Amendment no. 71 would
overhaul the process for issuing drilling permits.
It would require the Interior secretary to
provide a decision on whether to issue permits
within 30 days after receiving applications,
unless the applicant is given specific written
notice of an extension. Applications would be
considered approved if a decision or extension
has not been made within 60 days, unless
existing environmental reviews are incomplete.
After 180 days, the application would be
considered to have no significant impact on the
environment and not likely to jeopardize
endangered or threatened species. If a permit is
denied, the amendment would require the
Interior Department to provide specific reasons
for denial and allow applicants to resubmit
applications within 10 days. Permit denials
would not be subject to judicial review. The
substitute amendment would immediately allow
TransCanada to construct, connect, operate
and maintain the pipeline and cross-border
facilities known as the Keystone XL Pipeline.
Senate
Record
Vote No.
Vote No. 17
Vote Results/Date
(yeas-nays)
Failed (51-47)
1/22/2015
Note: By unanimous consent, the Senate agreed
to raise the majority requirement for adoption
of the amendment to 60 votes.
S.Amdt.123 to S.1
Amendment no. 123 to the substitute
amendment no. 2. Amendment no. 123 would
express the sense of the Senate that Congress
should approve a bill to ensure that all forms of
bitumen or synthetic crude oil, also known as
oil sands, are subject to the excise tax
associated with the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund.
It would also express that it is necessary for
Congress to approve a bill because in 2011 the
IRS determined that certain petroleum is not
subject to the excise tax. It would urge the
House of Representatives to consider and refer
legislation to the Senate clarifying that all forms
of bitumen or synthetic crude oil are subject to
the excise tax. The substitute amendment
would immediately allow TransCanada to
construct, connect, operate and maintain the
pipeline and cross-border facilities known as the
Keystone XL Pipeline.
Vote no. 18
Passed (75-23)
1/22/2015
Note: By unanimous consent, the Senate agreed
to raise the majority requirement for adoption
of the amendment to 60 votes.
Congressional Research Service
15
Congressional Votes on the Keystone XL Pipeline
Bill/Amendment No.
S.Amdt.27 to S.1
Vote Summary
Amendment no. 27 to the substitute
amendment no. 2. Amendment no. 27 would
classify oil sands as crude oil for excise tax
purposes. The substitute amendment would
immediately allow TransCanada to construct,
connect, operate and maintain the pipeline and
cross-border facilities known as the Keystone
XL Pipeline.
Senate
Record
Vote No.
Vote no. 19
Vote Results/Date
(yeas-nays)
Failed (50-47)
1/22/2015
Note: By unanimous consent, the Senate agreed
to raise the majority requirement for adoption
of the amendment to 60 votes.
S.Amdt.78 to S.1
Amendment no. 78, as modified, to the
substitute amendment no. 2. Amendment no. 78
would express the sense of the Senate that the
November 2014 U.S.-China greenhouse gas
emissions agreement is economically unfair and
environmentally irresponsible and has no force
and effect. The amendment would note that
such international agreements require the
advice and consent of the Senate and urge that
the United States not sign any agreement that
would result in serious economic harm or
impose disparate greenhouse gas commitments
for the United States and other countries. The
substitute amendment would immediately allow
TransCanada to construct, connect, operate
and maintain the pipeline and cross-border
facilities known as the Keystone XL Pipeline.
Vote no. 20
Failed (51-46)
1/22/2015
Note: By unanimous consent, the Senate agreed
to raise the majority requirement for adoption
of the amendment to 60 votes.
S.Amdt.126 to S.1
S.Amdt.72 to S.1
Amendment no. 126, as modified, to the
substitute amendment no. 2. Amendment no.
126 would clarify that private land or an interest
in private land for the Keystone XL Pipeline and
facilities may only be acquired consistent with
the U.S. Constitution. The substitute
amendment would immediately allow
TransCanada to construct, connect, operate
and maintain the pipeline and cross-border
facilities known as the Keystone XL Pipeline.
Vote no. 21
Amendment no. 72, as modified, to the
substitute amendment no. 2. Amendment no. 72
would prohibit the use of eminent domain for
Trans-Canada to acquire private land for the
construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline and
facilities. The substitute amendment would
immediately allow TransCanada to construct,
connect, operate and maintain the pipeline and
cross-border facilities known as the Keystone
XL Pipeline.
Vote no. 22
Congressional Research Service
Passed (64-33)
1/22/2015
Failed (43-54)
1/22/2015
16
Congressional Votes on the Keystone XL Pipeline
Bill/Amendment No.
S.Amdt.75 to S.1
Vote Summary
Amendment no. 75 to the substitute
amendment no. 2. Amendment no. 75 would
require the President to provide an analysis of
potential health risks to communities that rely
on drinking water from a source that may be
affected by an oil sands spill from the Keystone
XL Pipeline. A governor of the affected state
could petition the President that the pipeline
not be located in the affected locality. Property
owners of water wells tapped into an aquifer
above the pipeline could also sue for damages if
their wells were contaminated by the pipeline.
The substitute amendment would immediately
allow TransCanada to construct, connect,
operate and maintain the pipeline and crossborder facilities known as the Keystone XL
Pipeline.
Senate
Record
Vote No.
Vote no.31
Vote Results/Date
(yeas-nays)
Failed (36-62)
1/28/2015
Note: By unanimous consent, the Senate agreed
to raise the majority requirement for adoption
of the amendment to 60 votes.
S.Amdt.70 to S.1
Amendment no. 70 to the substitute
amendment no. 2. Amendment no. 70 would
prohibit construction of the Keystone XL
Pipeline until PHMSA certifies that the agency
has sufficient resources to carry out duties for
pipelines in the Great Lakes. The amendment
would also require PHMSA to conduct a study
and submit to Congress recommendations for
any special conditions for pipelines in the Great
Lakes. The substitute amendment would
immediately allow TransCanada to construct,
connect, operate and maintain the pipeline and
cross-border facilities known as the Keystone
XL Pipeline.
Vote no.32
Failed (40-58)
1/28/2015
Note: By unanimous consent, the Senate agreed
to raise the majority requirement for adoption
of the amendment to 60 votes.
S.Amdt.23 to S.1
Amendment no. 23 to the substitute
amendment no. 2. Amendment no. 23 would
direct the Energy Department to establish a
program that would provide rebates to
individuals and entities for the purchase and
installation of solar panels for residential and
commercial properties. The amendment would
reimburse eligible recipients 15% of initial capital
costs or $10,000, whichever is less. The
substitute amendment would immediately allow
TransCanada to construct, connect, operate
and maintain the pipeline and cross-border
facilities known as the Keystone XL Pipeline.
Vote no. 33
Failed (40-58)
1/28/2015
Note: By unanimous consent, the Senate agreed
to raise the majority requirement for adoption
of the amendment to 60 votes.
Congressional Research Service
17
Congressional Votes on the Keystone XL Pipeline
Bill/Amendment No.
S.Amdt.15 to S.1
Vote Summary
Amendment no. 15 to the substitute
amendment no. 2. Amendment no. 15 would
provide for an expedited application and
approval process for the export of liquid natural
gas to World Trade Organization member
countries. The substitute amendment would
immediately allow TransCanada to construct,
connect, operate and maintain the pipeline and
cross-border facilities known as the Keystone
XL Pipeline.
Senate
Record
Vote No.
Vote no. 34
Vote Results/Date
(yeas-nays)
Failed (53-45)
1/28/2015
Note: By unanimous consent, the Senate agreed
to raise the majority requirement for adoption
of the amendment to 60 votes.
S.Amdt.73 to S.1
Amendment no. 73 to the substitute
amendment no. 2. Amendment no. 73 would
remove the lesser prairie-chicken from the
threatened species list under the Endangered
Species Act. The substitute amendment would
immediately allow TransCanada to construct,
connect, operate and maintain the pipeline and
cross-border facilities known as the Keystone
XL Pipeline.
Vote no. 35
Failed (55-44)
1/28/2015
Note: By unanimous consent, the Senate agreed
to raise the majority requirement for adoption
of the amendment to 60 votes.
S.Amdt.148 to S.1
Amendment no. 148 to the substitute
amendment no. 2. Amendment no. 148 would
require campaign finance disclosures for
individuals or entities that make more than $1
million in revenues from oil sands production.
The amendment would require the
identification of individuals making
disbursements and candidates or businesses
receiving transfers. The substitute amendment
would immediately allow TransCanada to
construct, connect, operate and maintain the
pipeline and cross-border facilities known as the
Keystone XL Pipeline.
Vote no. 36
Failed (44-52)
1/28/2015
Note: By unanimous consent, the Senate agreed
to raise the majority requirement for adoption
of the amendment to 60 votes.
Congressional Research Service
18
Congressional Votes on the Keystone XL Pipeline
Bill/Amendment No.
S.Amdt.132 to S.1
Vote Summary
Amendment no. 132 to the substitute
amendment no. 2. Amendment no. 132 would
express the sense of Congress that national
monuments should be subject to consultation
with local governments within the boundaries of
the proposed location and approval by the state
where the monument is to be located. The
substitute amendment would immediately allow
TransCanada to construct, connect, operate
and maintain the pipeline and cross-border
facilities known as the Keystone XL Pipeline.
Senate
Record
Vote No.
Vote no. 37
Vote Results/Date
(yeas-nays)
Failed (50-47)
1/28/2015
Note: By unanimous consent, the Senate agreed
to raise the majority requirement for adoption
of the amendment to 60 votes.
S.Amdt.115 to S.1
Amendment no. 115 to the substitute
amendment no. 2. Amendment no. 115 would
express the sense of Congress that climate
change is impacting the safety and reliability of
infrastructure systems in the United States and
it is necessary for the federal government to
mitigate the effects of climate change by offering
insurance programs and coordinating with states
to develop climate resilient projects. The
substitute amendment would immediately allow
TransCanada to construct, connect, operate
and maintain the pipeline and cross-border
facilities known as the Keystone XL Pipeline.
Vote no. 38
Failed (47-51)
1/28/2015
Note: By unanimous consent, the Senate agreed
to raise the majority requirement for adoption
of the amendment to 60 votes.
S.Amdt.166 to S.1
Amendment no. 166 to the substitute
amendment no. 2. Amendment no. 166 would
require the release of wilderness study areas if
Congress has not designated the land as
wilderness within one calendar year of receiving
the recommendation from the Interior
Department. The substitute amendment would
immediately allow TransCanada to construct,
connect, operate and maintain the pipeline and
cross-border facilities known as the Keystone
XL Pipeline.
Vote no. 39
Failed (50-48)
1/28/2015
Note: By unanimous consent, the Senate agreed
to raise the majority requirement for adoption
of the amendment to 60 votes.
Congressional Research Service
19
Congressional Votes on the Keystone XL Pipeline
Bill/Amendment No.
S.Amdt.133 to S.1
Vote Summary
Amendment no. 133 to the substitute
amendment no. 2. Amendment no. 133 would
express the sense of Congress that the
production tax credit should be extended until
Jan. 1, 2020, for facilities that use wind energy
technology for electricity. The substitute
amendment would immediately allow
TransCanada to construct, connect, operate
and maintain the pipeline and cross-border
facilities known as the Keystone XL Pipeline.
Senate
Record
Vote No.
Vote no. 40
Vote Results/Date
(yeas-nays)
Failed (47-51)
1/28/2015
Note: By unanimous consent, the Senate agreed
to raise the majority requirement for adoption
of the amendment to 60 votes.
S.Amdt.48 to S.1
Amendment no. 48 to the substitute
amendment no. 2. Amendment no. 48 would
remove exemptions of fracking and natural gas
storage from regulation under the Safe Drinking
Water Act. The amendment would clarify that
the definition of underground injections includes
the underground storage of natural gas and
hydraulic fracking fluids. The substitute
amendment would immediately allow
TransCanada to construct, connect, operate
and maintain the pipeline and cross-border
facilities known as the Keystone XL Pipeline.
Vote no. 41
Failed (35-63)
1/28/2015
Note: By unanimous consent, the Senate agreed
to raise the majority requirement for adoption
of the amendment to 60 votes.
S.Amdt.246 to S.1
Amendment no. 246 would express the sense of
Congress that the Land and Water
Conservation Fund plays a vital role in
improving wildlife habitat and increasing
recreational opportunities on public land. The
amendment also would state that reauthorizing
the Land and Water Conservation Fund should
be a top priority and should include
improvements to effectively manage federal
lands.
Vote no. 42
Failed (47-51)
1/29/2015
Note: By unanimous consent, the Senate agreed
to raise the majority requirement for adoption
of the amendment to 60 votes.
S.Amdt.92 to S.1
Amendment no. 92, as modified, would
permanently reauthorize the Land and Water
Conservation Fund. It would also require that at
least 1.5% of funds be made available each fiscal
year for projects that secure public access to
federal land for fishing, hunting and other
recreational purposes.
Vote no. 43
Failed (59-39)
1/29/2015
Note: By unanimous consent, the Senate agreed
to raise the majority requirement for adoption
of the amendment to 60 votes.
Congressional Research Service
20
Congressional Votes on the Keystone XL Pipeline
Bill/Amendment No.
S.Amdt.77 to S.1
Vote Summary
Amendment no. 77 would establish a national
renewable electricity standard. The amendment
would set a goal for 25% of U.S. electricity
generation to come from renewable energy
sources such as solar, wind, ocean, tidal,
geothermal energy, biomass, landfill gas,
incremental hydropower or hydrokinetic energy
by 2025.
Senate
Record
Vote No.
Vote no. 44
Vote Results/Date
(yeas-nays)
Failed (45-53)
1/29/2015
Note: By unanimous consent, the Senate agreed
to raise the majority requirement for adoption
of the amendment to 60 votes.
S.Amdt.155 to S.1
S.Amdt.141 to S.1
S.Amdt.178 to S.1
S.1
Amendment no. 155 would allow permitting
agencies to consider new circumstances and
information that may impact the environment
from the construction and operation of the
Keystone XL Pipeline.
Vote no. 46
Amendment no. 141 would prohibit the
underlying measure from taking effect until
reviews are conducted to determine whether
greenhouse gas emissions derived from oil sands
transported by the Keystone XL Pipeline are
likely to contribute to an increase of extreme
weather events.
Vote no. 47
Amendment no. 178 would clarify that products
derived from oil sands are treated as crude oil
for purposes of the federal excise tax on
petroleum.
Vote no. 48
Passage of the bill would immediately allow
TransCanada to construct, connect, operate
and maintain the pipeline and cross-border
facilities known as the Keystone XL Pipeline,
including any revision to the pipeline route
within Nebraska as required or authorized by
the state. It also would consider the January
2014 environmental impact statement issued by
the State Department sufficient to satisfy all
requirements of the National Environmental
Policy Act and the Endangered Species Act. It
would grant the U.S. Court of Appeals for the
District of Columbia exclusive jurisdiction
regarding legal disputes over the pipeline or the
constitutionality of the bill. As amended, it
would express the sense of the Senate that
climate change is real.
Vote no. 49
Failed (41-56)
1/29/2015
Failed (36-62)
1/29/2015
Failed (44-54)
1/29/2015
Passed (62-36)
1/29/2015
Source: Congress.gov; CQ.com’s Roll Call Vote Report database.
Congressional Research Service
21
Congressional Votes on the Keystone XL Pipeline
Table 10. Procedural Senate Record Votes on Keystone XL Pipeline-Procedural Senate Record Votes on Keystone XL Pipeline—114th Congress
Bill/Amendment No.
S. 1
S. 1
S. 1
S. 1
Vote Summary
Senate
Record
Vote No.
Motion to invoke cloture (thus limiting debate)
on the motion to proceed to the bill that would
immediately allow TransCanada to construct,
connect, operate, and maintain the pipeline and
cross-border facilities known as the Keystone
XL Pipeline.
Vote no. 3
Motion to table amendment no. 13 to the
substitute amendment no. 2. Amendment no. 13
would ban the export of crude oil, bitumen, or
refined petroleum fuel products transported in
the United States by the operation of the
Keystone XL pipeline, unless a presidential
waiver is obtained. The substitute amendment
would immediately allow TransCanada to
construct, connect, operate, and maintain the
pipeline and cross-border facilities known as the
Keystone XL Pipeline.
Vote no. 4
Motion to table amendment no. 17 to the
substitute amendment no. 2. Amendment no. 17
would require that the iron, steel, or
manufactured goods used in the construction of
the Keystone XL Pipeline originate in the
United States, unless such products are not
sufficiently available with satisfactory quality or
the use of such products would increase the
cost of construction by more than 25%. The
substitute amendment would immediately allow
TransCanada to construct, connect, operate,
and maintain the pipeline and cross-border
facilities known as the Keystone XL Pipeline.
Vote no. 5
Motion to table (kill) amendment no. 99 to the
substitute amendment no. 2. Amendment no. 99
would express the sense of Congress that
climate change is real and caused by human
activities. It would also express that fossil fuels
continue to produce a significant portion of U.S.
electricity and that it is imperative that the U.S.
invest in fossil fuel technology. The substitute
amendment would immediately allow
TransCanada to construct, connect, operate
and maintain the pipeline and cross-border
facilities known as the Keystone XL Pipeline.
Vote no. 15
Congressional Research Service
Vote Results/Date
(yeas-nays)
Passed (63-32)
1/12/2015
Passed (57-42)
1/20/2015
Passed (53-46)
1/20/2015
Passed (53-46)
1/22/2015
22
Congressional Votes on the Keystone XL Pipeline
Bill/Amendment No.
S. 1
S. 1
S. 1
S. 1
S. 1
S. 1
Vote Summary
Senate
Record
Vote No.
Motion to table (kill) amendment no. 24.
Amendment no. 24 would express the sense of
the Senate that climate change is real and
caused by human activities. It also would urge
the United States to overhaul its energy system
away from fossil fuels and towards sustainable
energy. The substitute amendment would
immediately allow TransCanada to construct,
connect, operate and maintain the pipeline and
cross-border facilities known as the Keystone
XL Pipeline.
Vote no. 16
Motion to table (kill) amendment no. 25.
Amendment no. 25 would condition the
measure’s effective date to when products
derived from oil sands are treated as crude oil
for the purpose of the federal excise tax on
petroleum.
Vote no. 24
Motion to table (kill) amendment no. 121 to the
substitute amendment no. 2. Amendment no.
121 would impose a fee of 8 cents per barrel on
oil transported through the Keystone XL
Pipeline and direct the revenue to a land and
water conservation fund.
Vote no. 25
Motion to table (kill) amendment no. 28 to the
bill. Amendment no. 28 would require campaign
finance disclosures for individuals who have
received revenues in relation to oil sands leases
or development in excess of $10,000 during the
period between Jan. 1, 2013, and 165 days after
the bill’s enactment. Subsequent disclosures
would be required each time an aggregate
revenue of $10,000 is reached.
Vote no. 26
Motion to table (kill) amendment no. 30 to the
substitute amendment no. 2. Amendment no. 30
would strike a provision authorizing the U.S.
Court of Appeals and the District of Columbia
Circuit Court to have original and exclusive
judicial review over any civil actions relating to
the Keystone XL Pipeline.
Vote no. 27
Motion to table (kill) amendment no. 74 to the
substitute amendment no. 2. Amendment no. 74
would express the sense of the Senate that the
Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program
should be funded at no less than $4.7 billion
annually.
Vote no. 28
Congressional Research Service
Vote Results/Date
(yeas-nays)
Passed (56-42)
1/22/2015
Passed (53-42)
1/22/2015
Passed (57-38)
1/22/2015
Passed (52-43)
1/22/2015
Passed (53-41)
1/22/2015
Passed (49-45)
1/22/2015
23
Congressional Votes on the Keystone XL Pipeline
Bill/Amendment No.
S. 1
Vote Summary
Motion to invoke cloture (thus limiting debate)
on substitute amendment no. 2 that would
immediately allow TransCanada to construct,
connect, operate and maintain the pipeline and
cross-border facilities known as the Keystone
XL Pipeline.
Senate
Record
Vote No.
Vote no. 29
Vote Results/Date
(yeas-nays)
Failed (53-39)
1/26/2015
Note: Three-fifths of the total Senate (60) is
required to invoke cloture. A subsequent,
motion was offered to reconsider the vote.
S. 1
Motion to invoke cloture (thus limiting debate)
on the bill that would immediately allow
TransCanada to construct, connect, operate
and maintain the pipeline and cross-border
facilities known as the Keystone XL Pipeline,
including any revision to the pipeline route
within Nebraska as required or authorized by
the state.
Vote no. 30
Failed (53-39)
1/26/2015
Note: Three-fifths of the total Senate (60) is
required to invoke cloture. A subsequent,
motion was offered to reconsider the vote.
S. 1
Motion to invoke cloture (thus limiting debate)
on the bill that would immediately allow
TransCanada to construct, connect, operate
and maintain the pipeline and cross-border
facilities known as the Keystone XL Pipeline,
including any revision to the pipeline route
within Nebraska as required or authorized by
the state.
Vote no. 45
Passed (62-35)
1/29/2015
Note: Three-fifths of the total Senate (60) is
required to invoke cloture.
Vote Results/Date
(yeas-nays)
Passed (63-32)
1/12/2015
Passed (57-42
1/20/2015
Passed (53-46)
1/20/2015
Source: Congress.gov; CQ.com’s Roll Call Vote Report database.
Author Contact Information
Lynn J. Cunningham
Information Research Specialist
lcunningham@crs.loc.gov, 7-8971
Congressional Research Service
Beth Cook
Information Research Specialist
ecook@crs.loc.gov, 7-9090
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