Sen. Angus King starts serving on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee this week, as the controversial Keystone Pipeline bill comes up for Senate consideration. Action on the legislation is expected by the end of the week.
King says, for Congress, the issue is moving at beyond warp speed.
"I am not in favor of a bill that would simply, in effect, issue a building permit," King says. "On the other hand, if there were a bill that said the president must make his decision in a reasonable time frame, I would probably support that."
Even with the expected congressional approval of what he calls a "building permit" bill, King says the pipeline's future is in doubt. He says there are not enough votes to override an expected presidential veto, and the current low prices for oil bring the economic viability of the pipeline project into question.
"There may be some amendments, there may be some issues raised about the viability of the project wear the oil goes what the benefits to the U S will be, how to insure that those benefits accrue to the people of this country and so I don't think the debate is over, by any means."
