The House Republicans' brinksmanship over the payroll tax extension is being met with the same from the administration. The GOP is insisting on a fast-track approval process in the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline in conjunction with the extension of the payroll tax cut extension.
The U.S. State Department is not playing along.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department said on Monday that any effort by Congress to impose a deadline on the Canada-to-Texas Keystone XL pipeline decision would effectively rule out a permit for the project.
"Should Congress impose an arbitrary deadline for the permit decision ... the Department would be unable to make a determination to issue a permit for this project," the Department said in a statement.
The House will vote on the plan, presumably still including the Keystone XL provision, on Tuesday.