Senator says Keystone legislation will be back

TULSA, Okla. (AP) – Oklahoma Republican U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe vowed that legislation for building the Keystone XL Pipeline "will see the light of day" in a new Congress, moments after the Democrat-controlled Senate narrowly defeated a bill to approve the project.

Tuesday’s final vote was 59-41. The bill needed 60 votes to reach the White House. The House passed it overwhelmingly last week.

Inhofe, the senior member of the Environment and Public Works Committee who recently won another term in office, says in a statement that the Keystone pipeline was in need of approval years ago.

Inhofe chastised colleagues who voted against the project, saying they failed "to lead the way" on things like job creation and energy independence.