WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., chair of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, today passed her bill to approve the construction of the Keystone pipeline through the Senate Energy Committee with a strong 12-10 bipartisan vote. She vowed to push for a final vote on the Senate floor.

“Two events in the last 24 hours underscore clearly why today’s vote to approve the Keystone Pipeline was important. The Canadian government has conditionally approved the 730-mile Enbridge’s Northern Gateway Pipeline to send oil sands to the West Coast of Canada instead of the Gulf Coast. And, yesterday, al-Qaeda affiliated militants attacked the largest oil refinery in Iraq that refines 350,000 barrels of oil per day—nearly the same amount the United States imports from Iraq. The Keystone Pipeline would transport nearly two and a half times that amount to American refineries,” Sen. Landrieu said.

"Last month, I said that the battle to build the Keystone Pipeline was not over. Today was the latest skirmish, and, unlike some, I'm not giving up until it is built,” Sen. Landrieu added. “I’ve been in a lot of tough fights over the years, and the ones that matter the most are the toughest. I won’t give up on Keystone until we get it built, and I will press for a vote on the Senate floor.”

View a timeline below of Sen. Landrieu’s efforts to build the Keystone pipeline.

2014

• May 1: Introduces binding bill with Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D. to authorize the construction of the Keystone pipeline 
• April 10: Leads 11 Senators and send letter to President requesting he make a decision on the pipeline by May 31, 2014 
• March 13: Presses Sec. Kerry at hearing on how the pipeline is in the national interest 
• Feb. 6: Leads bipartisan group of senators, House members, business and labor groups to call for approval of Keystone XL pipeline
• Jan. 15: Meets with Canada’s Foreign Minster John Baird 

2013

• Nov. 12: Meets with Allison Redford, the Premier of Alberta, to discuss the importance of Keystone 
• Aug. 29: With Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., calls on President to approve the pipeline
• March 14: Cosponsors legislation to approve the pipeline 
• Feb. 26: Joins 20 bipartisan senators urging Sec. Kerry to approve the pipeline
• Jan. 23: Sends a letter with 53 bipartisan colleagues to the President urging the construction of the pipeline

2012

• Jan. 30: Sponsors legislation with Sen. Hoeven to approve the Keystone pipeline 
• Feb. 13: Leads discussion on Senate floor on importance to build the pipeline 
• March 8: Votes in favor of amendment to approve the Keystone pipeline
• Nov. 16: Signs bipartisan letter calling on President to approve pipeline

2011

• March 16: Leads 14 bipartisan senators in sending a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, urging approval of the project