President Obama To Veto Keystone XL Pipeline Legislation

As promised, President Obama has officially notified Congress that he will veto the recent legislation that approved the Keystone XL Pipeline.

From NPR:

The House voted to approve the measure Jan. 9. The Senate approved another version of the bill on Jan. 29. The House voted Feb. 11 to endorse the Senate's changes — which added language saying climate change was real, and oil sands should not be exempt from a spill-cleanup tax — and sent the measure to the White House.

Politicians from both parties, some unions and energy companies support approving the pipeline; environmental groups, some Nebraska landowners and some liberal Democrats oppose it.

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.

Republicans argue the pipeline would help America become more energy independent. However, nothing in the legislation guarantees that any oil that would travel from Canada to refineries in the US would STAY in the US. The oil, owned by oil companies, would be for sale to the highest bidder on the global market.

Republicans also claim the legislation "creates jobs." But studies show that after a two year building period utilizing temporary workers as the pipeline progressed acros the nation, the pipeline would create approximately 40 permanent jobs.