IER Responds to President Obama's Keystone Veto Threat

For Immediate Release
Contact: Benjamin Cole
bcole@ierdc.org

WASHINGTON, D.C. — During his press conference with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, President Barack Obama announced his intent to reject any attempt to tie a deal over the Keystone XL oil pipeline to a payroll tax cut extension.

IER President Tom Pyle issued the following statement in response to the president’s veto threat over Keystone XL:

“The president’s efforts to block development of the Keystone XL pipeline reached new lows today.  Not only has he stalled a much-needed infrastructure project that would create jobs, reduce our energy dependence on unstable regions, and strengthen our relations with our closest trading partner.  Now he’s willing to raise taxes on American working families to satisfy environmentalist radicals who are opposed to affordable energy.  

The American economy needs the boost that Keystone would provide.  American markets need the reliability of Canadian oil coming down the pipeline.  And the American people deserve a chance for good-paying jobs that the pipeline will create.  The president has made it clear that his highest priority is to raise payroll taxes while keeping more Americans off the payroll.  Only in Obama-land do the American people have to pay higher taxes so they can have fewer jobs.”