As the House prepares to debate Thursday another bill to authorize the Keystone XL pipeline , White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said the administration 's position on the controversial pipeline has not changed . Earnest stopped short of saying directly that President Barack Obama would veto the latest proposal because he has not yet reviewed details of the latest House bill , but said the administration `` has taken a dim view of these kinds of legislative proposals in the past . '' `` I think it 's fair to say that our , that our dim view of these kinds of proposals has not changed , '' Earnest said . Earnest said if the House legislation is anything like earlier bills , `` the President 's senior advisers at the White House would recommend that he veto legislation like that . '' `` That continues to be our position , '' he said . Earnest noted that the project is still being reviewed by the State Department to `` determine whether it 's in in the national interest . '' Congress ' plans on the Keystone XL pipeline could also have implications for the Louisiana Senate runoff pitting incumbent Sen. Mary Landrieu against Rep. Bill Cassidy . Cassidy is sponsoring the House 's bill Thursday and presumptive Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Cassidy will join the Senate 's energy committee if elected . Landrieu , who is currently the chairwoman of that committee , is pushing for a vote on the pipeline in the Democratic-held Senate -- a measure that could give her a boost in her energy-rich state as she faces an uphill battle to beat back the challenge from Cassidy . `` This has been a project that has lingered far too long . It is clearly supported by 60 or more members of this body , '' Landrieu said on the Senate floor Wednesday .
This has brought the Gulf Pipeline back to forefront of national politics . Congress stopped short of directly suggesting Obama would veto Keystone legislation . The pipeline also has implications for the Florida gubernatorial runoff .