A milestone for Keystone XL: Controversial pipeline clears hurdle in U.S. Senate

WASHINGTON — The Keystone XL pipeline has passed a major procedural hurdle in the United States Congress.

The U.S. Senate has agreed to move forward on a bill that would force President Barack Obama to approve the controversial Canadian oil infrastructure.

This is the first bill to advance in the newly sworn-in Congress, and represents a demonstration of the new power wielded by the Republican party since the midterm elections.

Similar measures had repeatedly failed in the last Senate, controlled by Democrats — but this time the measure has gotten 63 votes, three more than required to override a filibuster.

The Senate's Bill 1 now moves back onto the floor for additional debates, which could lead to major amendments.

But there's one fly in the ointment for pipeline supporters: President Barack Obama has already signalled he'll veto the bill because he says it's up to his administration, not lawmakers, to approve or reject cross-border infrastructure.