©2025 League of Conservation Voters
2015 Scorecard Vote
270
152
10
Issues
Senator John Hoeven (R-ND) sponsored S.1, the Keystone XL Pipeline Act, which would automatically approve this dangerous pipeline, transporting the world’s dirtiest oil through the American heartland to an international shipping port on the Gulf Coast where it will be exported. Keystone XL would lead to a significant expansion of tar sands development, unleashing massive amounts of carbon pollution and threatening surrounding communities, ecosystems, and watersheds including the Ogallala aquifer, which provides drinking water for millions of Americans. S.1 would have short-circuited the federal approval process, eliminating the State Department’s ability to assess whether the pipeline is in the national interest, and diminishing the president’s authority to ultimately approve or reject the project. On January 29, the Senate approved S.1 by a vote of 62-36 (Senate roll call vote 49). On February 11, the House approved S.1 by a vote of 270-152 (House roll call vote 75). NO IS THE PRO-ENVIRONMENT VOTE. President Obama vetoed the bill on February 24 and the Senate failed to override the veto on March 4. On November 6, President Obama rejected TransCanada’s permit application to construct the Keystone XL pipeline, citing concerns about its climate impact.
©2025 League of Conservation Voters