President Obama Will Veto Keystone Oil Pipeline Bill if Passed

The White House threatened to veto the first piece of legislation introduced in the Republican-controlled Senate. The bill would approve the much-delayed Keystone XL oil pipeline, and marks the first of what is expected to be many confrontations over energy and environmental policy. Hours after supporters of the bipartisan bill, which is sponsored by all 54 Senate Republicans and six Democrats, announced its introduction, the White House said for the first time that President Obama would veto it. The two main sponsors, Senator Joe Manchin, and Senator John Hoeven, said they had enough votes to overcome a filibuster of the bill, but not a presidential veto. The House is expected to vote and pass a bill approving the $5.4 billion project on Friday. The odds of passage are much improved with the Republican takeover of the Senate.