Washington, D.C.—U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly Thursday helped pass bipartisan legislation that would authorize the Keystone XL pipeline. The Senate passed the bill by a vote of 62-36, bringing it one step closer to advancing to President Obama’s desk. The Senate-passed Keystone bill must now either be approved by the House, which previously passed its own Keystone XL legislation, or the House and Senate will begin a conference committee to resolve the differences between the two bills. Donnelly also helped pass amendments to the bill that would promote energy- and cost-saving technologies in homes, commercial properties, and schools.
Donnelly said, “As a longtime supporter of the Keystone XL pipeline, I am pleased the Senate passed this commonsense legislation because this project would help promote economic competitiveness and energy security for our country. A strong energy economy is vital to both Indiana’s and our country’s economic success and critical to our national security. I believe the Keystone XL pipeline should be part of a larger, comprehensive strategy to invest in our infrastructure and energy interests. I hope the House will quickly pass this bill and President Obama will sign this legislation into law to end the long delay and move this important project forward.”
An amendment introduced by Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) that Donnelly helped approve includes initiatives that would encourage investment inenergy-and cost-saving technologies in homes, commercial buildings, and federal facilities. Another amendment that Donnelly helped pass, introduced by Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), would require a review of existing programs and financing options to help facilitate energy efficiency, renewable energy, and energy retrofitting projects for schools.
Donnelly also cosponsored several amendments that were not adopted but would have:
- Extended tax credits for new qualified fuel cell motor vehicles and for alternative fuel vehicle refueling property for five years until December 2019.
- Permanently reauthorized the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and required that no less than 1.5 percent of LWCF funds made available every fiscal year be used for projects securing access to federal public land for recreational purposes; and
- Extended the production tax credit for renewable energy facilities for five years.
As part of Donnelly’s Opportunity Agenda, he has advocated for investments in American infrastructure that promote energy security and an all-in approach to energy production, including projects like the Keystone pipeline. To learn more about Donnelly’s Opportunity Agenda, click here.
