US House approves Keystone pipeline

The US House of Representatives has approved a Republican measure authorising construction of the Keystone XL oil pipeline, bucking President Barack Obama who said he intends to veto the controversial initiative.

Lawmakers voted 266 to 153 to pass the bill that circumvents the Obama administration, which over the past six years has yet to issue a decision on whether to greenlight the mega-project that would transport crude oil from Alberta, Canada to refineries on the US Gulf Coast.

The project has emerged as a major Republican economic priority.

Republicans won control of both chambers of Congress in November's elections, and the Senate will begin debating and voting on the Keystone legislation next week.