Obama vetoes Keystone XL pipeline bill

Washington, Feb 25 : United States President Barack Obama vetoed the Keystone XL pipeline bill, reiterating that the decision to go ahead with the project belongs to the government.

"Through this bill, the US Congress attempts to circumvent longstanding and proven processes for determining whether or not building and operating a cross-border pipeline serves the national interest," Obama said in his veto message Tuesday, Xinhua reported.

"This act of Congress conflicts with established executive branch procedures and cuts short through consideration of issues that could bear on our national interest, including our security, safety and environment, it has earned my veto," said Obama.

In a statement, US Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell said: "It's extremely disappointing that President Obama vetoed a bipartisan bill that would support thousands of good jobs and pump billions of dollars into the economy."

The Senate would soon vote on an override no later than March 3, said McConnell.

However, right now the Republicans don't have a veto-proof majority in both the Senate and the House.

The Keystone XL oil pipeline which is designed to go from Canada through the US states of Montana and South Dakota to Nebraska has been delayed by the US government for several years as the government failed to finish its environmental impact evaluation.