WASHINGTON, D.C. – President Obama vetoed a bill Tuesday that was earlier approved by Congress that would have finished construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline.
“Through this bill, the United States Congress attempts to circumvent longstanding and proven processes for determining whether or not building and operating a cross-border pipeline serves the national interest,” President Obama said Tuesday.
“The Presidential power to veto legislation is one I take seriously. But I also take seriously my responsibility to the American people. And because this act of Congress conflicts with established executive branch procedures and cuts short thorough consideration of issues that could bear on our national interest — including our security, safety, and environment — it has earned my veto.”
Republicans were furious at the veto, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Joni Ernst of Iowa, who had been working to overcome the veto threat.
“No more delays – it’s time to build,” Ersnt said earlier this month in promoting a petition for signatures in favor of pressuring the President not to veto a bill from Congress. Early Tuesday, Ernst said “this commonsense legislation would help create thousands of new jobs, grow our economy and provide important energy infrastructure developments to move our country forward. The president has a major opportunity to show willingness to work alongside this new Congress and support this important jobs and infrastructure bill.”
Once the President issued his veto, Ernst said “I was disappointed to receive the president’s veto of the ‪‎KeystoneXL‬ jobs bill.”
“It’s extremely disappointing that President Obama vetoed a bipartisan bill that would support thousands of good jobs and pump billions of dollars into the economy,” McConnell said. It passed both houses of Congress with strong bipartisan support and it’s a priority for organized labor as well. Even the President’s own State Department says construction of this jobs and infrastructure project would result in only minimal environmental impact. Even though the President has yielded to powerful special interests, this veto doesn’t end the debate. Americans should know that the new Congress won’t stop pursuing good ideas, including this one.
