House Republicans Pass Keystone XL Bill But Don’t Have The Votes To Override Obama Veto

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House Republicans have passed a bill authorizing the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline by a vote of 266-153. President Obama is certain to veto the bill, and House Republicans don’t have the votes needed to override his veto.

28 Democrats voted with Republicans in favor of authorizing the construction of the pipeline. One Republican member voted present.

Attention turned to the House of Representatives after the Nebraska state Supreme Court cleared the way for the pipeline’s construction by throwing out a lawsuit that had been brought by landowners.

The debate on the House floor was more of the same rhetoric that was tossed around on all of the previous times that the House voted on Keystone. Republicans falsely touted the bill as a jobs bill, while Democrats spoke to the reality that few permanent jobs would be created by shipping oil across our country that was destined to be sold overseas.

Boehner said that the president is out of excuses for not approving the pipeline, “President Obama is now out of excuses for blocking the Keystone pipeline and the thousands of American jobs it would create.”

White House Deputy Press Secretary Eric Schultz immediately pushed back by reaffirming the president’s plan to veto the bill, “Regardless of the Nebraska ruling today, the House bill still conflicts with longstanding Executive branch procedures regarding the authority of the President and prevents the thorough consideration of complex issues that could bear on U.S. national interests, and if presented to the President, he will veto the bill.”

The Senate will in the coming days and weeks eventually pass a bill authorizing the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. President Obama will immediately veto it, and Republicans will not have the 2/3 vote required to override the president’s veto.

Aaron Blake of the Washington Post tweeted that House Republicans didn’t get enough votes to override Obama’s veto:

Republicans may control Congress, but very little has changed. Boehner and McConnell are passing legislation that will never become law.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association