The House and Senate will vote in a few days on legislation to build the Keystone XL pipeline.
It’s a pivotal move in the race for a Louisiana Senate seat.
The two candidates in the December 6 runoff are both pushing the bills.
They are three-term Democrat Mary Landrieu in the Senate, and Republican Congressman Bill Cassidy in the House.
The House is virtually certain to approve the bill on Thursday. Landrieu says she has the votes to pass it in the Senate next Tuesday.
That would leave the fate of the bill up to President Barack Obama.
The White House had no immediate comment on the day's developments.
