Republicans blasted Pres. Obama for today’s veto of a bill (S.1) approving construction of the Keystone pipeline.
Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) called the veto “sheer political spite”:
“Republicans and Democrats in both chambers of Congress have voted overwhelmingly to support the Keystone Pipeline, as well as the potential jobs and economic benefits that go along with it.
“After six years of equivocating, today President Obama has proven that he puts his political agenda ahead of bipartisan compromise, job creation, and energy independence. Vetoing this legislation is just sheer political spite.”
Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, recalled Obama’s 2012 claim that “we don’t have enough pipeline”:
"The president not only vetoed bipartisan legislation today to finish building the Keystone pipeline, but he also denied Americans thousands of new, well-paying jobs and the opportunity to progress towards energy independence.
“In my home state of Oklahoma on March 22, 2012, he acknowledged that America is producing 'so much oil and gas in places like North Dakota and Colorado that we don’t have enough pipeline capacity to transport all of it.’
In the 2012 speech in Cushing, Oklahoma, Obama said:
“The problem, in a place like Cushing, is that we’re producing so much oil and gas, in places like North Dakota and Colorado, that we don’t have enough pipeline capacity to transport all of it to places it needs to go – to refineries and, eventually, all across the country and around the world.”
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) vowed to fight on:
“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. 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.”
Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) slammed Obama for vetoing the bill "before he even saw it in its final form":
“There is simply no reason whatsoever for the president not to approve this project that will create thousands of jobs for American workers and put our country one step closer to energy independence. Our Republican majority allowed nearly double the number of roll call votes on amendments to this bipartisan Keystone XL pipeline legislation than Democrats did on all legislation in 2014, which is proof that Republicans are working to get things done. And yet, the president decided to veto this legislation before he even saw it in its final form, instead of working with Congress.”
House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) blamed the veto on Obama giving in to the demands of “environmental extremists”:
“President Obama turned his back on millions of Americans who wanted the Keystone pipeline to be built, along with the 40,000 jobs and energy security that goes with it, when he vetoed this bipartisan bill.
“The American people deserve better than this from the president, who bowed to the demands of a small group of environmental extremists rather than standing with hard-working taxpayers. We will not give up and the House will continue to fight for the priorities of the American people, including getting the Keystone XL pipeline built.”