WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate advanced a bill on Monday to approve the Keystone XL oil pipeline, voting to allow debate and amendments on the project the White House has said President Barack Obama will veto.
The procedural measure passed by a count of at least 62-31, with clerks still counting the tallies. A final vote in the Senate on approving the pipeline is expected late this month, but backers are several votes short of the 67 needed for a veto-proof majority. The House of Representatives passed a bill last week to approve TransCanada Corp's pipeline to bring Canadian oil to Nebraska en route to refineries and ports along the Gulf Coast.
(Reporting by Timothy Gardner; Editing by Peter Cooney)
