U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis spoke on the House floor in support of the Keystone pipeline in January. (Photo courtesy YouTube)

By John Gregory/Illinois Radio Network

WASHINGTON – The veto of the Keystone pipeline bill is unwelcome news to some in Illinois, but not unexpected.
 
It’s only the third veto of his presidency, but President Obama had promised he would reject legislation approving the next phase of the project due to environmental concerns. U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, thinks Obama unnecessarily bowed to interests within his own party.
 
“I think it’s a terrible decision by the President," Davis said. "I think it’s to placate the environmental left. The President is throwing away the ability to create 40,000 jobs.”
 
That amount has been disputed by opponents of the project, claiming supporters are exaggerating the pipeline’s benefits while glossing over the potential harm to the environment. Mark Denzler, vice president of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association, says those concerns have been addressed.
 
“This is a pipeline that has received, I think, more studies and more research and more due diligence than any pipeline in history,” Denzler said.
 
Congress would need a two-thirds majority vote in both the House and Senate to override Obama’s veto. It didn’t pass in either chamber with that level of support.