March 9, 2012. Senate Republicans vowed to try again to speed up approval of TransCanada Corp.'s Keystone XL oil pipeline after falling four votes short of rounding up enough Democratic support to expedite the project. The Democrat-led U.S. Senate narrowly rejected a Republican amendment to a transportation funding bill that would have fast-tracked the project. The measure, which received 56 votes in favor, failed because Senate rules require 60 votes to include the amendment. Obama lobbied wavering Senate Democrats on the pipeline proposal before the vote. He urged them to reject the amendment, which would have overturned his decision to deny a permit for the pipeline until more environmental reviews are complete.