"Republicans Tie Keystone Pipe To Tax Cut Bill"

"House of Representatives will include approval of a Canada-to-Texas oil pipeline in a payroll tax cut bill, House Speaker John Boehner said on Thursday, raising the political stakes on the issue.

The move by House Republicans marked a challenge to President Barack Obama, who has warned he would veto any bill that linked quick approval of TransCanada Corp's Keystone XL pipeline to extending a tax cut for American workers that is due to expire on December 31.

'The Keystone pipeline would put tens of thousands of Americans to work immediately,' Boehner told reporters after meeting with House Republicans on Thursday.

Both Republicans and Democrats want to pass an extension of the payroll tax cut in the next two weeks, but they are divided on how best to do it. ...

A coalition of more than 30 green groups, including the Natural Resources Defense Council and League of Conservation Voters, wrote to congressional leaders this week urging them to keep so-called "policy riders" out of the tax cut bill."

Timothy Gardner and Roberta Rampton report for Reuters December 9, 2011.

SEE ALSO:

"Enviro Funding Could Be Dropped From Omnibus Spending Package" (E&E Daily)

"Little Time, Lots of Action in Year-End Struggle" (Politico)

"Issues Remain as Clock Ticks on Omnibus" (On The Money/The Hill)

"EPA Spending Bill Among Measures To Be Considered by Conference Committee" (BNA/Daily Environment Report)