It’s unclear. It has already been more than six years since the initial application for XL was filed, and President Obama has yet to issue a permit.
Last May, the US House passed the Northern Route Approval Act, a bill that would allow the decision regarding Keystone XL to bypass presidential approval. It has not passed the Senate, though in April, 11 Democratic senators wrote a letter to Mr. Obama urging him to act and noting that the process had been “exhaustive in its time, breadth, and scope.”
With Republicans taking control of the Senate in November's midterm elections, Congress is likely to pass a bill approving the pipeline either late this year or in early 2015. It is unclear whether or not President Obama would veto such a bill, but the White House has repeatedly said the pipeline should undergo the approval process already underway.
(Editor's note: This slide was updated on Nov. 18, 2014 to incorporate the impact of the midterm elections.)
