Despite a veto threat from the White House, a key Senate committee is expected to advance a bill approving the Keystone XL pipeline closer to a Senate vote.
The initial meeting on the legislation, also the first in the Republican-controlled Senate, was scheduled for Wednesday, but it was cancelled after Democrats objected.
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will take up the bill at a meeting Thursday. It is widely expected to clear the committee. The bill has 60 sponsors — 54 Republicans and six Democrats. While that is enough votes to pass the Senate, supporters said Monday they did not have enough votes to overturn a veto.
The House is expected to easily pass a bill on Friday approving the $5.4-billion construction project.
The bid to build the pipeline, which began in 2008, has become a political flashpoint. Conservatives see it as a way to create jobs and wean America off of foreign oil while environmental groups have made it a symbol of President Barack Obama's commitment to global warming.
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