WASHINGTON (AP) – The Democrat-controlled Senate has defeated a bill to approve the Keystone XL oil pipeline.
The Senate’s 59-41 vote Tuesday night was a nail-biter to the end.
The bill needed 60 votes to reach the White House. The House passed it overwhelmingly last week.
President Barack Obama did not support the bill, but the White House has been mum on whether or not he will veto it.
Democrat Sen. Mary Landrieu pushed for the vote in an effort to save her seat in a Dec. 6 runoff election in Louisiana. She faces an uphill battle against Republican Rep. Bill Cassidy, who authored the House bill.
All Republicans said publicly they supported the Senate bill, as did several moderate Democrats.