House-Senate Conference Could Put Obama in Keystone Bulls-Eye

With the Keystone XL Pipeline included, the House of Representatives approved the Surface Transportation Extension Act on Wednesday.

HR 4348, which passed 293-127, now goes to a conference to iron out differences with the Senate version. If the Keystone provision survives, President Obama won't be able to have it both ways on the pipeline.

Last month, he disingenuously touted Keystone by approving a southern segment while continuing to block the northern section from Canada.

The House version of the transportation bill requires the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to issue a permit for the construction of the pipeline within 30 days of receiving an application.

The measure also:

• Extends authority to appropriate Highway Trust Fund dollars for highway and surface transportation programs for 90 days, through Sept. 30, while maintaining current spending levels.
• Establishes the Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund and dedicates 80 percent of BP fines to communities hardest hit by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.