U.S. House votes in favour of bill approving Keystone XL Pipeline

Watch above: Republicans and Democrats are ramping up the rhetoric over the Keystone XL pipeline, after the U.S. House of Representatives passed a proposal approving the controversial project. Jackson Proskow has the details.

WASHINGTON – The Republican-controlled House of Representatives has passed legislation to approve the Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada to Texas, and the Senate may follow next week.

The House voted 252-161 on a bill sponsored by Republican Rep. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana.

The pipeline has been stalled by environmental reviews, objections to its route and politics for six years.

But the latest bid by House Republicans has the best chance of reaching President Barack Obama’s desk.

“The president has made some of his most overt comments in opposition to the pipeline that I’ve ever seen,” said Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall. “And some of what he’s saying just defies the facts.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "The president has made some of his most overt comments in opposition to the pipeline that I've ever seen," said Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall. "And some of what he's saying just defies the facts."

Citing a report by the American Railway Association, Wall said in 2008 there were 8,000 rail cars that hauled oil in the U.S. and in 2013, there were 400,000.

“If he’s worried about greenhouse gas emissions, there’s a much higher greenhouse gas emission footprint around the shipment of oil by train than there is by pipeline.”

Senate supporters said they were confident they’d have the 60 votes needed for passage next Tuesday.

The White House has threatened to veto similar attempts to move the pipeline forward.

“Our government welcomes the decision of the United States House of Representatives to support the Keystone XL pipeline,” a statement released by minister of natural resources, Greg Rickford’s office, said.

“This project will create jobs, long term economic prosperity, energy security and environmental stewardship on both sides of our shared border,” the statement reads.

“Today’s decision has strong public support, and the U.S. State Department has, on multiple occasions, acknowledged it will be environmentally sound.

Canada will continue to advocate that the Keystone XL pipeline be approved without further delay.”

-with files from Global News