Posted on 02/24/2015 12:50:04 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum
President Barack Obama vetoed the Republicans’ Keystone XL pipeline bill Tuesday, rejecting Congress’ attempt to take the project’s fate out of his hands — and leaving the GOP prepared to attempt an override vote that will most likely fail.
Obama’s veto message was delivered within hours of the legislation arriving on his desk. The White House had previously criticized lawmakers for trying to strip the executive branch’s authority over cross-border energy projects like the $8 billion Canada-to-Texas oil pipeline.
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“I’m not shocked obviously,” Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chairwoman Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said even before the widely expected decision came down. “I’m disappointed because I think the president is missing an opportunity when it comes to jobs and North American energy independence.”
Greens were preemptively cheering the veto, which they see as putting the White House well on track to ultimately rejecting Keystone. Obama has no binding deadline to make the final decision on the pipeline’s permit, but Secretary of State John Kerry could make his own recommendation on the issue as soon as this week.
Actually, the bill was passed with 63 votes.
I think in time 4 more are very possible.
Time to do a little arm twistin’ and putting some pressure on Obama by calling him to testify about Bengazi.
Conflict of interest? Check Obama schedule E on taxes for income from the family trust ( grandma was made VP -head of the trust department of the bank in the same time period that she served as executor of her fathers will) the same time she was made guardian of BHO
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2930400/posts
They had 62 votes for it in the Senate to start with. Only need a few more...
That comic is funny on an unintended level: Obama holding a pipe wrench? Ha! You’ve probably seen the photo of him attempting to use a pick ax on the White House lawn for one of those gardening photo ops...
There’s a shocker.
Just heard they think they have 63 votes right now. They need 67 votes. Get on the phones people. Sounds like vote will be around March 6th.
Pipes Obama blew it down? Who wooda thunk it? All the more for Republicans to get done after the a$$haole leaves orifice.
Warren Buffett Profits Hugely from Obama Keystone Decision
Running the oil via railroad will cost much more than running it through the pipeline. Captive shippers have previously complained about the higher rates BNSF has been charging due to the premium Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway paid for the company. BNSF’s higher rates have even affected the cost of shipping food on the railroad. Recently, The National Association of Wheat Grower’s past President Wayne Hurst testified to the Surface Transportation Board that growers are increasingly concerned about the higher cost of shipping on the BNSF railroad.
Buffet also stands to profit from the rising oil costs in the United States. Coal is a major alternative to oil and its derivative, natural gas. Coal also plays a large role in the profits of BNSF. In fact, hauling coal made up a quarter of BNSF’s revenue during 2009, and BNSF railway cars hauled coal more than any other single material. BNSF plans $3.9 billion in capital spending this year, as the company boosts capacity for coal shipments. If oil and natural gas had won out through approval of the Keystone XL pipeline, this could have had a significant negative impact on BNSF’s large coal business.
The Keystone XL permit was denied after loud opposition from environmentalists, this despite the fact that three years of environmental impact studies were conducted by the State Department that determined the pipeline would have “no significant impacts.” Among the groups leading the charge for no pipeline was the group “Bold Nebraska.” The “Bold Nebraska” campaign was funded to a great extent by Dick Holland, an old Buffett friend and associate. Both are big Democratic Party contributors.
Now wait just a cotton-pickin' minute! The article clearly stated that it was the Republican's bill, not a 'bipartisan' bill. Who's telling the truth here?
The thing to do now is to attach it to some “essential” appropriations bill.
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