Murkowski: ‘Don’t wait until the last minute’ to file Keystone amendments

Senate Energy Committee Chairwoman Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) urged senators on Friday to file amendments to a bill to approve the Keystone XL oil pipeline as soon as possible.

The Senate has been debating the legislation since the first week of the new Congress yet has only had one procedural vote on it so far.

{mosads}Murkowski said she doesn’t anticipate the Senate will spend an exorbitant amount of time considering the measure despite allowing amendments from both parties.

“We’re not going to be on this measure for a full year. Or even a full month. But we will be taking the time to do the deliberation that I think is important on this,” she said on the Senate floor. 

The Alaska Republican called on senators to submit amendments sooner rather than later.

“I think it is important for members to know that we are expecting to see your amendments filed. We re expecting to see you come to the floor to bring those up, call those up,” Murkowski said. “Don’t wait until the last minute.”

The Senate is in session on Friday but will not conduct any roll call votes. The next roll call vote is scheduled for Jan. 20 after the weekly party caucus luncheons.

Democrats are accusing Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) of already backtracking on promises to allow open-ended consideration of amendments to bills.

“Now, Senator McConnell is asking Democrats to negotiate with his office over which amendments will get votes and which will not — the same amendment process he and many of his fellow Republicans loudly decried in recent years,” Adam Jentleson, a spokesman for Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), said in a statement.