President Barack Obama on Tuesday, Feb. 24, swiftly rejected bipartisan-backed legislation authorizing the Keystone XL pipeline, marking the third veto he has issued throughout his presidency.
“The presidential power to veto legislation is one I take seriously,” Obama said in his veto message to the Senate. “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 through consideration of issues that could bear on our national interest—including our security, safety, and environment—it has earned my veto.”
The president’s decision leaves the long-debated 1,179-mile pipeline project, which would allow the transportation of 830,000 barrels daily to Midwest and Gulf Coast refineries, in limbo for an indefinite period of time.
Although Obama’s action was expected, it was met with strong headwinds from Republican leaders.
“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,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said in a statement. “Even though the President has yielded to powerful special interests, his veto doesn’t end the debate.”
First proposed in 2008, the Keystone XL pipeline has remained in limbo, awaiting a mandatory permit from the federal government, as it would cross an international boundary.
Republicans and the energy industry say the $8 billion project would generate jobs, spur growth and decrease America’s reliance on energy sources from the Middle East.
Obama, however, has downplayed the project’s ability to create jobs and raised concerns about how it could impact climate change.
Environmentalists, who claimed victory Tuesday with Obama’s move, oppose the pipeline because of carbon emissions that would result from the extracting of oil from Canadian tar sands.
“The pen was mightier than the pipeline,” said Anna Aurilio of Environment America, according to USA Today.
Other opponents of the pipeline also lauded the president for his move.
“This veto, along with the president’s increasing public skepticism about Keystone XL makes us more confident than ever that (the) president will reject the permit itself once and for all,” said Gene Karpinski, president of the League of Conservation Voters, another pipeline opponent, according to Reuters.
Upon receiving the president’s veto message, McConnell announced that the Senate would attempt to override the decision by March 3. Such an scenario, however, is unlikely to play out.
In the Senate, the bill was approved 62-36; in the House, it passed with a 270-152 vote. Both margins fell short of the two-thirds majorities required for an override: 67 votes in favor of the pipeline would be needed in the Senate and 281 would be needed in the House for an override.
The GOP may also include Keystone in a spending bill or other critical legislation pertaining to energy or infrastructure, which would make it more difficult for the president to veto.
While Obama’s veto on Keystone is his first since Republicans took the reigns in Congress, it is unlikely his last. With the GOP in control of both legislative chambers, their efforts to roll back on the president’s actions on health care, immigration and financial regulation are bills that Obama is likely to similarly reject.
“He’s looking at this as showing he can still be king of the hill, because we don’t have the votes to override,” said Republican Sen. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, according to Associated Press. “If he vetoed this, he’s going to veto many others that are out there.”
To date, Obama has issued fewer vetoes than any other US president since the 19th century. This is partly because Democrats maintained control of at least one Congressional chamber in the past six years, serving as a buffer – which no longer exists – that prevented unwanted bills from reaching the president’s desk.
Obama will make a final decision on the project following a complete review from the State Department, which is expected in the coming weeks. (With reports from Associated Press, FOX News, Reuters and USA Today)
(www.asianjournal.com)
(Las Vegas February 26, 2015 Sec. A pg.4)
