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Congresswoman Chellie Pingree voted against a bill that would rush through permitting of the controversial Keystone pipeline.

"This bill is an end-run on the process that is already in place and gives a construction permit to TransCanada to build a pipeline for dirty tar sands oil to be shipped through the United States," Pingree said. "It effectively exempts TransCanada’s Keystone XL tar sands pipeline from all federal permitting requirements, including requirements that apply to every other construction project in this country. "

Only 50 permanent jobs would be created and most of the tar sands oil would be exported out of the United States once it reached the Gulf Coast.

Pingree, a vice chair of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition, is a long-time opponent of the Keystone proposal and says the project would contribute to global warming pollution.

"This is a dirty fuel with a huge carbon footprint," Pingree said. "We would be much better off investing in energy efficiency and clean energy right here in the United States. That's going to create far more jobs right here at home and protect the environment in the process."

The House today passed a bill very similar to one passed by Republicans last month. This version has some energy efficiency provisions that were added by the Senate but Pingree says the key, controversial provisions are just the same.

President Obama has said he would veto the legislation.