Senate GOP digs in on Keystone pipeline push

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) took to Twitter to make the same demand, proclaiming that “Keystone XL pipeline WILL be part of final tax package.”

Earlier Friday, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) told GOP lawmakers in a closed-door meeting that he would insist on the language requiring an expedited decision on TransCanada Corp.’s $7 billion project to bring Canadian sands to Gulf Coast refineries.

He said if the Senate sends the House a payroll tax bill that does not include the Keystone provision, the House will add it back in.

The Obama administration has delayed a decision on the project until after the 2012 elections.

President Obama has said he would “reject” a payroll tax cut measure that includes Keystone provisions, but White House press secretary Jay Carney stopped short of an explicit veto threat Thursday.

A number of centrist Democrats support the proposed pipeline. A senate aide said there are discussions underway on the issue but declined to characterize them.

Erik Wasson contributed.