WASHINGTON — The House on Wednesday passed a bill approving construction of the controversial Keystone XL oil pipeline, setting up a clash with President Obama, who has vowed to veto the measure.
The bill, which passed the Senate last month, headed to Mr. Obama’s desk Wednesday night.
The president has a 10-day window to act on the bill, and his expected rejection of the measure will be the first major veto of his administration — marking the start of a slew of legislative clashes with the Republican Congress during his remaining two years in office.
–
Mr. Obama has said that a key criteria for him in deciding on the pipeline will be whether its construction will contribute to climate change. He has put off his decision so a series of reviews could be completed, including an environmental impact review by the State Department and reviews by the heads of eight other agencies. The last of those reviews were completed last week.
As Washington debates Keystone XL, here’s how the 1,179-mile pipeline became so political.
