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.
Guaranteed that if obama is against it then it must be good for our country. It is too bad that the democratic party has changed so much that the terrorists of the world are tame compared to them. At least the terrorists are upfront about their beliefs and the democrats want the same goal, they are just more secretive about it.
Thank you, President Obama! You’ll go down as one of our best ever! This would have created TEMPORARY jobs and would have lined the pockets of the very people who don’t need any more money in their pockets.
JMO,
This statement you made is typical liberal thinking, “someone is making too much money and that is bad because you don’t have it.”
It would be good if you changed your thinking. This is a Canadian company that has a choice to rout this through the US or send the oil to China. This will not only create the temp jobs you talked about but also put more refined fuel available here in the US, therefore LOWER prices. That money will go in YOUR pocket JMO. What is better for your wallet…
Those temp jobs they are talking about will last at least 3 years. After that who knows how many more jobs will have been created.
How about saving your money at the pump in the future JMO? You again missed my point. Would you rather have this oil sent to China, or here in the US? If we don’t do this, China will. Where would you like the money, in the US or China? We would in turn still have to buy from China raising the pricing to us in the US.
This is an empty argument on your part JMO in MY opinion.
@JMO-This veto was all about Obama’s buddy Buffet who gives millions of dollars to the Democrats. he owns all of the trains that currently transport the oil. Obama is protecting his buddy at our expense. That oil is going to ship regardless of Obama. If Keystone was approved the oil would be used here, if not, it will go to China and they will burn it. t least if used here it comes under our standards. China has no standards and pollutes many, many, many time more than we do.
Stupid Veto!
So Canada sells the oil to China and they burn the “evil” oil that is supposed to be destroying our planet. Remember the wind blows it all over the planet.
At least in America the EPA can make them scrub the so called pollution to some degree. That isn’t going to happen in China.
This is so not taking care of America and American jobs.
Once again Obama demonstrates his hatred of America and especially the middle class.
Of course he vetoed the bill. He will do anything he can to destroy the American way of life so his Muslim friends can take it over.