Senate fails to override Obama's veto of Keystone XL pipeline

The Republican-controlled Senate on Wednesday failed to get an enough majority to override President Barack Obama's veto of Keystone XL pipeline.

The vote was 62 to 37, failing to reach the two-thirds majority required to undo a presidential veto. The failure in the Senate means the House of Representatives will not vote on override.

Republicans will continue working on Keystone project, said Senator John Hoeven, Republican of North Dakota, a leading sponsor of this project.

One option is to attach the legislation to build the pipeline to some other bill that the president won't want to veto this year, said Hoeven.

The Keystone XL oil pipeline which goes from Canada through the US states of Montana and South Dakota to Nebraska is expected to transport 800,000 barrels of carbon-heavy oil sands from Canada to ports and refineries along the US Gulf Coast.

Republicans support building the pipeline, saying it would create jobs. But the project has been delayed by the US government for several years as the government didn't finish its environmental impact evaluation.

Obama vetoed the bill to build the project passed by the Senate and the House last week, saying the act of Congress conflicted with established executive branch procedures.
   Source:Xinhua - globaltimes.cn
5/3/15
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• Obama vetoes Keystone XL pipeline bill