Washington ( CNN ) With the Senate expected to vote soon on the controversial Keystone XL Pipeline , the State Department is now giving eight federal agencies two weeks to weigh in on it . The State Department on Friday notified those agencies have only until February 2 `` to provide their views on the national interest with regard to the Keystone XL Pipeline permit application , '' a department official told CNN Saturday , adding that the department `` continues its review '' of the pipeline 's permit application . The State Department is involved because the pipeline originates outside U.S. borders , and is reviewing whether TransCanada Corp. 's 1,179-mile project is in the national interest . The U.S. government 's review had been delayed pending a decision by the Supreme Court of Nebraska , one of the states it would run through . That court recently ruled the pipeline could proceed . So now it is up to the State Department to make its recommendation . The setting of the deadline for such entities as the Environmental Protection Agency and the Commerce and Interior departments could be a key indicator as observers wait for the administration to make a final determination of its position . The White House has said it was waiting for the State Department 's recommendation before making its opinion known . Proponents of the pipeline got a boost this week with the release of a new CNN/ORC poll showing a majority of Americans favoring construction of the pipeline , which would bring Canadian oil to the Gulf of Mexico for refining . The survey said 57 % supported it going forward and 28 % opposing . Earlier this month the Republican-majority House of Representatives passed a bill to force construction , arguing it would create jobs and help guarantee energy independence . With Republicans now in control of the Senate , they have also made the Keystone a priority and promised a vote soon . The Senate resumes debate this coming week , with all 54 Republicans there expected to support it along with as many as nine Democrats . `` It is well past time , some six years past time as far as many of us are concerned . And we would like to see this pipeline moving , '' Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters last week . `` At the end of the day what we 're talking about with Keystone XL is jobs . '' The White House has threatened that President Obama would veto the measure because Congress is trying to circumvent the current process , and it is unclear if Congress would be able to muster two-thirds of each house to override a veto . `` The President will make the decision that is best for the United States , that process is not finished yet . When it is done , a decision will come . Congress is trying to front run the process for politics , '' White House Senior Counselor Dan Pfeiffer said on NBC 's `` Meet the Press . '' CNN 's Eric Bradner contributed to this story .
The Senate is expected to vote soon on the controversial Keystone XL Pipeline . Obama has said he will veto any bill that includes a provision blocking construction of the pipeline. '' New CNN/ORC survey shows 57 % of Americans support the pipeline going forward .