The US House today has approved a bill authorizing the Keystone XL pipeline, hours after the Nebraska Supreme Court tossed out a lawsuit challenging the pipeline’s route, which would cross Missouri.

The Keystone XL Pipeline under construction (courtesy; Wikimedia commons)

The Keystone XL Pipeline under construction (courtesy; Wikimedia commons)

The House voted 266-152 for the measure to authorize the pipeline that would carry tar sands oil from Canada to refineries on the Gulf Coast. The White House, meanwhile, restated that President Obama would veto the legislation.

Missouri’s Congressional delegation voted along party lines, with all six Republicans voting for the proposal and the state’s two Democrats voting against it.

East-central Missouri Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer (R) says construction of the pipeline, “would bring much-needed jobs to our nation and the reduction of our dependence on foreign oil would jump-start our economy.”

North Missouri Congressman Sam Graves (R) says he is, “confident the new Republican majority in the Senate will act to pass this bill and send it to the President’s desk.”

West-central Missouri Congresswoman Vicky Hartlzer noted, “It has been more than four years since backers of the Keystone pipeline first submitted an application to the U.S. State Department to build this project … I urge President Obama to embrace this component of our “all-of-the-above” energy policy.”

St. Louis congressman Lacy Clay (D) said on twitter he voted against what he called a “giveaway to big oil.” Clay said the proposed project, “poses (a) serious environmental threat, zero impact on US energy independence.”

The Keystone project, “would also seriously infringe on the rights of private property owners,” Clay tweeted.

The Senate could vote on the measure next week.

The Nebraska Supreme Court failed to strike down a 2012 state law that approved an amended route of the pipeline through that state. The ruling cleared the way in Nebraska for construction.