Obama Vetoes Keystone XL Pipeline Bill
“The White House has notified the Senate that President Obama has, as promised, vetoed congressional legislation to approve the Keystone XL pipeline project.
“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,” Obama said in the notification to the Senate.
The U.S. State Department has been reviewing the pipeline for more than six years, working to determine whether it is in the national interest. Congressional Republicans want to circumvent that process and grant a permit immediately.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said the Senate will vote no later than March 3 to override Obama’s veto.
Republicans would need two-thirds of votes in each chamber to override Obama’s veto. They do not appear to have enough votes to do that.
Reaction to the expected veto of the bill was swift.
Greg Rickford, Canada’s minister of natural resources, said, “It is not a question of if this project will be approved; it is a matter of when. We will continue to strongly advocate for this job-creating project.””
Calamur, Krishndev. NPR 24 February 2015.