The Senate approved a two month extension of the payroll tax holiday and unemployment benefits. We’ll see this fight again in February. That clears the way for a rare vote today on an omnibus spending bill.

I’m wondering if Obama didn’t get the best of the Republicans again. They tied approval of the Keystone XL  Pipeline to the bill in both the House and the Senate. The bills need to be reconciled before hitting the President’s desk, and he is no longer saying he will veto the final bill. But the State Department says that the bills will kill the pipeline. Why? Because to approve it in 60 days would violate environmental laws.

I haven’t read everything there is about the Pipeline, but if my imperfect memory serves, the developers of the Pipeline decided to accommodate the Governor of Nebraska and reroute the pipeline so that it does not go right through the Ogallala Aquifer. But that means that a whole new Environmental Impact Study is required, and Environmental Impact Studies don’t happen overnight.  Is it possible that Barack and Hillary dreamed up this end result in a closed-door, back room session? Just asking.

Homework

Obama Backs Bill Including Pipeline Deal

State Department's Webpage about the Keystone Pipeline

Washington Post Story About State Department Warning